About Freecycle
The Freecycle Network (often abbreviated TFN or just known as Freecycle) is a non-profit organization registered in the state of Arizona, USA, and separately registered as a UK charity, that organizes a worldwide network of "gifting" groups, aiming to divert reusable goods from landfills. It provides a worldwide online registry, and coordinates the creation of local groups and forums for individuals and non-profits to offer and receive free items for reuse or recycling, promoting gift economics as a motivating cultural outlook. "Changing the world one gift at a time" is The Freecycle Network's official tagline.
Background
The organization originated as a project of RISE Inc., a nonprofit corporation, to promote waste reduction in Tucson, Arizona. RISE subsequently handed it over to the project leader, Deron Beal. Beal set up the first Freecycle e-mail group for the citizens of Tucson. The concept has since spread to over 85 countries, with thousands of local groups and millions of members.
Each local group currently exists as a Yahoo! Groups mailing list run by volunteer moderators. TFN encourages the formation of new groups, subject to approval by regional New Group Approvers (NGAs). Groups approved by TFN are listed at the official website, can use the name and logo, and are subject to rules enforced by a structure of global and regional GOAs (Group Outreach Assistance). TFN originally planned to move a custom designed, centralized site in 2004, but the project moved slowly, largely because of a shortage of skilled volunteer labor.[citation needed] In 2008, Freecycle went live with a beta version of a centralized, custom site. As of March 2009, all new groups must be started on www.Freecycle.org's new group system, giving TFN even more control over the individual groups. Moderators of existing Yahoo groups have the choice (at this time) of remaining on Yahoo groups or moving their groups to the freecycle.org site.
Visit The Freecycle Network on the web.
Other groups and sites: