From trash to treasure: Freecycling books and toys can help other families save money.
If you got a NutriBullet for Christmas and now your old blender is collecting cobwebs or if that old lampshade looks hideous in your newly painted room, then Freecycling is for you, without the guilt of throwing away otherwise perfectly good items.
This year, the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission will hold their third annual Freecycling Day on May 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Crystal Springs Aquatic Center, 380 Dunhams Corner Road, East Brunswick.
Due to its proximity to Rutgers New Brunswick campus, not surprisingly, the East Brunswick residents and founding members and coordinators of the Friends all have ties to Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Liti Haramaty is a marine sciences researcher at Rutgers Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, David Moskowitz is completing a Ph.D. in Entomology, and Fred Stratton is an alumnus (CC ’83), with several of his five sons attending or graduating from Rutgers. Many of the volunteers who help out at the Friends’ events are also affiliated with Rutgers.
Dave Moskowitz shows off his finds at Freecycle Day.
East Brunswick is home to the Edgeboro Landfill, which most towns in Middlesex County are contracted to use. According to Haramaty, “On a local level, not throwing things away as garbage helps extend the operational life of our local landfill. By getting so many people together reusing and recycling, in the previous Freecycling events we saved 60 tons of material from the landfill.”
“Freecycling also has benefits on other levels. The free trading also provides much needed clothes and other items free to those in need,” she adds. “It’s a time to clean up the house and garage and save money on items we can use.”
Recommended freecycling items include furniture, clothing and shoes, bicycles, fish tanks, dishes, pots and pans, silverware, small appliances, tools, screws and nails, power tools, kitchen items, garage items, electronics, pet supplies, and bicycles. Participants may not bring mattresses, televisions, computer monitors, paints, pesticides, or any hazardous materials.
Usable items must be offered for free or “freecycled.” Clothing, shoes and toys left at the end of the day will be picked up by Fashion Republic, a company that distributes the items for reuse elsewhere. Other items left at the end of the day, along with unusable and broken items, will be recycled by R. Mor Enterprises.
Items may be dropped off on May 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and picked up until 3 p.m. Click here for more information and a list of acceptable items for Freecycling Day.
East Brunswick Freecycling Days are sponsored by The Friends of East Brunswick Environmental Commission; the East Brunswick Recycling Center; East Brunswick Division of Recreation, Parks and Community Services; and R. Mor Enterprises Inc.
The Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission is a nonprofit citizens group that supports the work of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission, which was established for the protection, development or use of natural resources including water resources in the township. In addition to Freecycling Days, the Friends sponsor National Moth Week, Moth Nights and other public events that help to educate the public about the environment and sustainable practices.
