Message from Deputy Mayor Elizabeth Stamler | July 28, 2022
It’s often said: someone’s trash can sometimes be someone else’s treasure.
And that is why I invite the entire community to come out to Brookside Park on Saturday, September 10 for a special “freecycling” program, courtesy of Scotch Plains.
Freecycling is swapshop in which residents can find new uses for old items, rather than just discarding them in the trash. For example, household items that work perfectly fine, but no longer fit with your household décor, are perfect giveaways at a freecycling event.
There are clear and obvious benefits to freecycling, as we all focus our efforts on keeping waste out of our landfills. Often, when you place items on the curb for recycling, with the full intention of an environmental benefit down the line, these items could still end up in landfills, as recycling companies grow more and more restrictive in what they will accept.
Freecycling is also a terrific way to help neighbors, while we collectively save resources. Anyone who has ever undergone a kitchen renovation knows how expensive cabinetry and appliances can be. And these same items are often difficult to discard. They could be ideal for another resident.
A freecycling event is also the ideal place for books, clothing, bikes, electronics, furniture, toys and many other goods. You never know when someone has been looking for that exact item that you no longer have a use for.
We are hosting this event, known as the “Scotch Plains Freemarket,” to reduce the amount of reusable material that winds up in our town’s waste stream, to help out our neighbors and because it could be plenty of fun to find the perfect item for yourself, free of charge.
Together, lets promote the three R's (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) and make it easier for fellow residents to give away their unwanted but very reusable items.
Spending a few hours with the community, helping others and finding that special item you’ve been searching for…could there be a better way to spend a late summer Saturday?
