N2Y2 Con: The Freecycle Network Intro Presentation

The Freecycle Network is a Featured Project at the 2nd NetSquared Conference.

Project Summary

We are creating a global gift economy in an entirely nonprofit online community at Freecycle.org. Our goal is to make it easier to give something away than to throw it away on a globally local scale with each local community having their own microsite on Freecycle.org which hooks up givers with potential recipients in their local community. Freecycle is a sort of free eBay or cyber curbside.

 It represents a global "paying it forward" in which each individual gives away their items which were otherwise destined to fill local landfills. Membership is free and anyone may give or receive in this free cycle of giving. 

The Freecycle Network was launched with one email about 3 1/2 years ago and is now active in over 75 countries with millions of grassroots members and thousands of volunteers moderating local groups. We are keeping over 300 tons a day out of landfills as a result which amounts to four times the height of Mt. Everest in the past year alone when stacked in garbage trucks.

If we are to save our planet, we will need to become inspired reusers. Freecycle.org empowers individuals directly to reuse.