Freecycle vs. Charitycycle

Now this blog might come across as a little harsh but this particlar topic has been bugging me so here we go.

I belong to more than my fair share of comunity discussion groups and I also belong to freecycle, so this is what this blog stems from. As I was going through my email this week, it seems one memeber felt the need to complain over and over again about how unfair it was that people sit online all day claiming stuff on freecycle when people like her "really need" the items in question. Now I am a poster not a claimer, because I have more than enough crap of my own that I don't need anyone elses, so I can't say that I have had this particular problem. She kept going on and on about how people should read through every email and pick the person who needs the item most not the first person to respond, now for me personally when I post something on Freecycle its not about charity its about getting the item out of my house as soon as possible. If I wanted the item to go to a charity there are plenty of places here in town that would happily take the item off my hand just for that purpose. Not that I'm saying charity is bad, I donate and give my time to any cause I feel is just, but when I am looking to Freecycle its not on the top of my list. I don't read each and every story that is sent to me because honestly I can't tell who's lying and who's telling the truth, so my item goes to the first person that responds to my email. Even with that said the time I checked, which by the way was yesterday, charity is not Freecycle's mission. The mission statement is as follow: Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community. It is pretty clear that Freecycle is an environmental group to help ease our waste burden on the planet Earth not to give to the person we find needs our item the most. So please be a good Freecycler, when you respond to a item that you are interested in say please and thank you and cross your fingers and hope.