What is Globechain? How the website redistributes unwanted goods for free
If you’re looking to save money on your building project and reuse construction materials and furniture too, here’s a website that you need to check out.
Globechain is a reuse marketplace through which companies give away stuff they no longer need to individuals, charities and small businesses. There’s a wide range of items listed on the site, ranging from kitchen appliances, electronic devices and furniture to carpet tiles and lighting. Most of the items are in good condition, some are brand new.
Image credit: Another Globechain giveaway
How does it work?
Globechain connects enterprises from the construction, retail, hospitality, and office sectors with non-profits, small businesses, and individuals, to redistribute unneeded items and, in doing so, reduce waste. It helps companies become more sustainable, save money, and achieve their ESG (environmental, social and governance) targets.
The member listing an item can choose whether they wish to offer it exclusively to charities or whether it’s open to all members. And they get to decide who to give it to, based on the requests received. Most items are available for anyone to request, whether for charity, individual, or business purposes.
You can join the site for free, browse the items, request them, and sign up for alerts for particular things you need. If you ‘win’ something, you are responsible for picking it up or paying for a courier to collect it. People request items within 20 minutes of the daily alerts being sent out, and collections usually take place within a few days.
Globechain has over 10,000 members. To date, it has redistributed more than 5.8 million items, which equates to over 59 million kg of waste.
For the companies giving away unwanted things, who pay for their membership, Globechain allows easy managing, tracking and disposing of unwanted items, which reduces costs, increases transparency, and generates ESG data for company reporting. Items are removed quickly, and the business can do some good in its local community, whether by means of fashion students upcycling fixtures and fittings, say, or construction materials being used for a community centre. Plus, of course, these are all things that might otherwise have ended up in landfill.
Image credit: Globechain
How do you sign up?
Businesses pay to list their items, it’s free for individuals and charities to sign up. You just pay to collect anything you ‘win’. Go to Globechain to set up your account, whether you’re an individual, business or charity.
