About

  • How do I add events?

    The goal of the events page is to promote local events that align with the goals of Trash Nothing. Some examples include repair cafés, free markets and clothing swaps. If you're part of an organization that runs events that might fall under one of the 8 R's below, contact us and send us some information about your organization and your events (with a link to your organization or event listings if possible) and we'll see if they are a good fit for the Trash Nothing community.

    The 8 R's below provide a rough guide for the types of events we're excited about:

    1. Rethinking choices
    2. Refusing single use / waste
    3. Reducing consumption
    4. Reusing everything
    5. Refurbishing old items
    6. Repairing instead of replacing
    7. Repurposing
    8. Recycling
  • How do I donate money?

    If you'd like to help keep trash nothing running smoothly and support the ongoing development of the site, you can make a contribution. And if you contribute, you won't see commercial advertisements.

  • How do I invite people to trash nothing?

    Simply tell them to visit trashnothing.com to sign up (or install the trash nothing app from the app store).

    Telling your friends, family and co-workers about trash nothing is the best way to help your local community grow and help keep more stuff out of the landfills.

    Giving 5 star ratings on Google Play and Apple App Store is also a great way to help more people find trash nothing.

    If you have a bit more time, you can post flyers or reach out to local organizations and ask them to help spread the word. Find out more ways you can help (and get a copy the flyer) on the Volunteer page.

  • How do I volunteer?

    You can learn about different volunteer opportunities on the volunteer page.

  • Is reselling allowed?

    Resellers are members who receive free items and then sell them outside of trash nothing. Buying and selling on trash nothing is not allowed but reselling free items is a valid way to reuse items and keep them out of the landfill as long as resellers follow the rule below.

    People who resell items must say in their posts and messages that they plan to resell items they receive. This gives the people giving away items the chance to decide whether they want their item to be resold or not.

    If you have a question about your local groups' rules, please contact the moderators.

    If a post is breaking this rule, please report the post.

    If another member has broken this rule, please report the member.

  • Is there a mobile app?

    Yes, there is a web app that should work on all mobile devices. There is also an Android app and an iOS app for iPhones, iPads and iPods.

    The web app is updated more frequently than the other apps and some people find that the web app works better than the native app (plus, you can bookmark the web app to your home screen to make it work more like a native app).

  • Is there an API for developers?

    There is a REST API for developers to build apps on top of the Trash Nothing platform. You can learn more about the API and register to use it on the Developer page.

  • Is trash nothing free to use?

    You never need to pay anything to use trash nothing. We show ads on the site to cover our costs. If you'd like to donate money, you can make a contribution. If you contribute, you won't see commercial advertisements

  • What are Supporters?

    People who have contributed money to support Trash Nothing are given a badge to highlight their commitment to the community.

    White star  Members who have contributed once

    Gold star  Members who have recurring contributions (monthly or yearly)

    Become a supporter to help keep trash nothing running smoothly and support the ongoing development of the site. And if you contribute, you won't see commercial advertisements.

  • What are the rules and guidelines?

    Only posts that are giving away or requesting free, legal and family-friendly items are allowed. Members are expected to always be respectful and polite when posting and communicating with other members.

    In more detail, the following are not allowed in posts or in messages to other members:

    • No buying, selling, trading, bartering or requesting money
    • No alcohol, tobacco, weapons or prescription drugs
    • No services or jobs
    • No promotions or advertising
    • No real estate, rentals or housing
    • No coupons or vouchers
    • No spamming

    Anyone who plans to resell items must say in their posts and messages that they plan to resell items they receive. This gives the people giving away items the chance to decide whether they want their item to be resold or not.

    Certain rules can vary from group to group depending on the volunteer moderators who run each group.

    For example, most groups don't allow posting animals or pets and don't allow requests to borrow items but some groups do.

    And rules on how often posts can be reposted vary from group to group. With most groups, you can repost Offers after a few days and Requests after a couple weeks.

    If you have a question about your local groups' rules, please contact the moderators.

    If a post is breaking a rule, please report the post.

    If another member has broken a rule, please report the member.

  • What is trash nothing and how does it work?

    The goal is to promote the three R's (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) by making it easy for people to give away their unwanted but reusable items to people who can use them.

    You can post Offers for items you want to give away or Requests for items you need. You can give and get almost anything on trash nothing including food, clothes, furniture, electronics, books, plants, toys and much more. Just make sure you follow the rules and guidelines when posting and replying.

    Even things you might not consider reusable like cloth scraps, scratched CDs and broken appliances sometimes find homes with artists looking for materials or tinkerers looking for an interesting project or spare parts. Items you offer aren't expected to be in perfect condition as long as you accurately describe their condition when you offer them.

    For example, here is how offering an item works:

    1. You have a bike you don't need and you want to give it away.
    2. You post an Offer that describes your bike.
    3. People in your local area who are interested in your bike will reply to your post to contact you privately.
    4. You choose which person you would like to give the bike to.
    5. Between the two of you, you arrange a time and place for them to come and pick up the bike.
    6. Your bike is picked up and you mark your Offer post as gifted so other people know that it is no longer available.
    7. You've given away your bike with little effort to someone who can use it, met someone new from your community and kept something out of the landfill. Great for you and the planet!

    Similarly, when you need something, you can post a Request and if someone has what you need, they will contact you to offer it.

    So next time you're cleaning out the garage, moving to a new place or about to throw something away, don't forget that someone on trash nothing might be able to use your unwanted stuff.

  • What's the difference between freecycling and trash nothing?

    Freecycling is the act of giving away items for free to people who can use them. And the trash nothing app makes it easy for people to freecycle anywhere in the world.

    Since freecycling began two decades ago on Yahoo Groups, it has spread to many new sites, groups and apps. Currently trash nothing supports many of the original freecycling groups from Yahoo Groups, Freegle groups, and groups powered by trash nothing. We're open to adding support for new groups and sites when possible but sadly many of the other sites don't have the features necessary for trash nothing to access their groups.

  • Where are the terms of use and the privacy policy?

    Here are the terms of use and the privacy policy. They are linked to on both the login and the sign up page.