Back in 2003, for example, Deron Beal sent an E-mail announcing his new Freecycle Network to friends in Tucson, Ariz., who he thought would be willing to give unwanted items like vacuum cleaners and computers away rather than have them and their toxic elements end up in landfills. “We have about 10,000 volunteers globally” now, says Beal. “We have about 7.5 million members in 110 countries and have done so as a charity with no fees,” pretty impressive given that “the founder had no tech skills.” Initially, Freecycle used Yahoo Groups to connect people who wanted to give away items with those willing to pick them up. Today, the nonprofit uses so-called open-source software, downloaded without charge, to manage its growing network.
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