By sharing, reusing and giving our stuff away, we can curb the purchase of new items and the disposal of old ones. Following are a few tips for using online classifieds’ sites to make giving, sharing and searching for used stuff as easy as possible:

1. Give Your Stuff Away: Sites like Freecycle.com and Handmedowns.com allow you to give away your stuff online locally. The new Facebook Marketplace allows you to give things away to friends — as well as the larger Facebook community, which includes charities.
2. Sell Your Stuff Online: Classifieds sites, such as Oodle.com and AOL Classifieds allow you post an online classified ad for free. On the Facebook Marketplace, you can even sell your stuff and designate the proceeds to one of thousands of charities nationwide.
3. Find it Used: Online classifieds make it easy to search for items by category — from baby gear to autos. Can’t find what you are looking for? Sign up for email alerts that notify you just as soon as a listing appears — or “Ask For it” on the Facebook Marketplace.

For more information about how you can curb your intake of new items and lessen your trash output, take a look at the thestoryofstuff.com.

Oodle has some reuse tips:

1. DONATE TO AN ORGANIZATION. Many schools, shelters and artist coalitions are looking for unused items and materials. Thinking local can make a visible difference and many charitable organizations like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, which will pick up reuseable items directly from your house. Tips for local giving can be found at http://www.oodle.com/donate/tips/.

2. SELL ONLINE. Online classifieds are a great way to get rid of things you would normally throw away. Think about how much money might be lurking in the recesses of your house or apartment and breathe new life into them. It’s simple to post a listing on Oodle.

3. BARTER OR GIVE AWAY. You may not see it, but others might see the value in your old stuff. Many web sites encourage barter where you make a straight trade of goods, or post to a “free” section of a classifieds site. Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.com) has a great national audience willing take even the strangest things off your hands.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of waste a person creates has nearly doubled in the past few decades, from 2.7 pounds to 4.4 pounds per day. Instead of throwing out your old stuff, reuse it!

A few simple ways to impact the environment (and even make or save some money during the process) include:

1. DONATE YOUR STUFF. Many schools, shelters and artist coalitions are looking for unused items and materials. Thinking local can make a visible difference and many charitable organizations like Goodwill or the Salvation Army will pick up reuseable items directly from your house. Tips for local giving can be found at http://www.oodle.com/donate/tips/. Don’t forget, charitable donations are tax deductible.

2. SELL IT ONLINE. Online classifieds are a great way to get rid of things you would normally throw away. Think about how much money might be lurking in the recesses of your house or apartment and breathe new life into them. It’s simple to post a listing on sites like Oodle or Craigslist.

3. RE-GIFT. Got gifts you didn’t like in 2007? Put them in the closet and you’ll always have a gift handy; or re-sell/trade them online… especially once that pesky return deadline has passed.

Here’s to a greener 2008!