September is right around the corner and many students are about to start college.  The new school year is exciting, but with new supplies can add up to a lot of waste. Here are 7 tips to start the semester sustainably.

1. Move Smart

Reuse old suitcases, crates, and boxes to store your items for moving. You can go to local grocery stores and ask for their extra boxes. They are usually happy to give them away, which helps you reuse resources and save money.

2. Minimalize First

It’s tempting to want to pack up your whole life when you leave home, but with small dorm rooms you’ll need less than you think.  Before you pack, give away clothes and items you don’t need, or sell them to make extra cash for school. See tip 7 for the easiest way to give and sell items.

3. Quit the Cup

Pack a set of reusable containers and mugs with you. Many coffee shops give discounts when you bring your own mug. You can help reduce waste and save money on your daily coffee habit. 

4. Upcycle Your Wardrobe

Want to upgrade your wardrobe for school? You can find amazing clothes secondhand with Freecycle.  The average U.S. Citizen throws away 81 lbs of clothing each year, but buying secondhand can help! Try “upcycling” old clothes that you already have. An old t-shirt can become a new tote bag or personalized pillow case. 

5. Reuse Books

Textbooks can be expensive, but luckily others have probably taken the same class before. Try finding someone you can swap textbooks with instead of buying a new one.

6. Compute your waste

You’ll likely need a laptop when you start college, and buying used is both cost effective and sustainable. The U.S. produces 9.4 Million Tons of E-Waste  every year. Buying a used laptop helps keep E-Waste out of landfills. 
Taking notes on your laptop can also help you save paper and keep notes organized. If you prefer to take notes by hand, try reusing old notebooks that still have blank pages, and look for notebooks made with recycled paper. 

7. Do it From Your Phone!

There are now apps on your phone to make all of this easier! The Recycalize App allows you to give away, sell, buy, get for free, or Freecycle locally right from your phone. Give away what you don’t need, and shop secondhand for what you do. Getting your friends to use the app will make it easy to swap items and go zero waste in your campus community.  

Try it out! Get Recycalize for Android or iOS

How to Rock your Fourth of July Party, for FREE

 Fourth of July means barbecues, block parties, picnics, you name it! Creative party ideas don’t have to cost you. We’re here to show you how to do it all for Free.

Free-dom with Free-cycle 

Celebrate your Free-dom, with Free-cycle! Freecycle is the best way to get all of your party supplies at no cost. Freecycle features on the Recycalize App make it easy. Here’s how to rock your party on a budget:

The Classic BBQ

Don’t worry about not having the equipment, check out Recycalize for free or for sale Grills.  Tip: Ask guests to each bring a side dish. Potluck style is an easy way to save. 

Creative Desserts

Make your party a little sweeter by making a “Giant Cupcake” cake. Your party will stand out with this whimsical, patriotic dessert. 

Patriotic Punch

Your party can be patriotic down to the last drop. Try this Recipe for Layered Patriotic Punch. Display it in a classic glass punch bowl. 

DIY Lanterns

If your party is in the evening time, you’ll need to light up the night. Pick up Free Mason Jars from Recycalize, and try these DIY Patriotic Jar Lanterns! 

Make a Splash

Soak Up the Sun with fun pool toys. If you don’t have a pool, no problem. A Kiddie Pool in the backyard is always a hit. 

Fireworks Show

It’s not quite the 4th without Fireworks. Bring some folding chairs or blankets, and end the party at your local fireworks show for a night to remember

You can make every Holiday special while saving money. Recycalize allows you to buy, sell, trade, and get local items for free in one user-friendly platform.

Download the Recycalize App to Get your Party Started:

Android Download

iOS Download

Gift Ideas for Every Dad 

Father’s day is coming up this Sunday. If you’re struggling to find a gift on a tight budget or want to make sure you’re being environmentally friendly, try Freecyling! Recycalize can help you find free or discounted items that might have otherwise have gone to a landfill. Our app allows you to quickly connect with other users nearby so you can have your gift picked up and wrapped before Sunday! Here are some ideas for every kind of Father in your life:

The Fitness Lover 

Help him with his fitness goals with a gift he can use everyday. Fitness trackers are one of the most popular gifts this year, and you can get them for free! 

Or maybe he wants to try something new? A Beginner’s Yoga Video is a perfect way to help him stretch his interests.

The Movie Buff

An Entertainment Center is the perfect gift  for movie watching and collecting.

Complete the package with his favorite Movie or Video Game.

The Foodie

 A bag of fresh beans from his favorite coffee shop + this French Press is the perfect gift for any coffee lover. He can recreate his favorite brew from home every morning. 

The Outdoorsy Dad

A new tent is the perfect thing to get Dad for all of his summer camping trips.

The Photographer

Create a photo album with all of your favorite family pictures. This creative gift is a great way to celebrate all of the memories you’ve shared together. 

Any Dad

There are so many other things to find on Recycalize! By Freecycling, you can find the perfect gift for any Father in your life while saving money and shrinking landfill waste! 

Download the Recycalize App to Get Started:

iOS Download

Android Download

Now Freecycle items have pictures ! The app version we released last night shows pictures in the Freecycle tab, when available, making Freecycle items as easy and pleasing to browse as the items listed natively on Recycalize. In addition to this, now there is a button to request pictures from the owners of Freecycle items that don’t have pictures. The pictures sent by the owners, automatically show up in the Freecycle listings. This is yet another feature we have added to make the app very easy for the Freecyclers among us. Of course, the items listed natively on Recycalize always had pictures. No change there. Users might also notice some improvements that make it easy to see the details of listed items, for example, larger font in the item description makes it easier to read. Sharing of the item details is now easier to access.

We continue to get suggestions and feedback from the Recycalize community and improve the app based on it. So please keep that feedback coming. You can simply send us an email at help@recycalize.com and let us know what you would like to see in the next version. Please encourage your friends and family to install the app and check it out. As the number of users in your area grows, you are more likely to find something interesting on Recycalize. Thanks for being an early member of Recycalize community.

Please download the latest version from the app store today and check out the new features. Store links below.

iOS download

Android download