The Freecycle Network

The Freecycle Network (TFN) is a private, nonprofit organization[5] registered in Arizona, US and is a charity in the United Kingdom.[6] TFN coordinates a worldwide network of "gifting" groups to divert reusable goods from landfills. The network provides a worldwide online registry, organizing the creation of local groups and forums for individuals and nonprofits to offer (or request) free items for reuse or recycling and to promote a gift economy.[7] In contrast, although flea markets and swap meets also contribute to the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), they involve mainly buying and selling or bartering rather than gifting.

History

TFN first began when its founder, Deron Beal, collaborated with RISE, a small nonprofit corporation that offers recycling services in the downtown area of Tucson, Arizona, US.[8] The team worked together to find local nonprofits that could potentially use their products, but it was not too successful.

Controversies

Trademark issues

A notice of opposition[19] was filed in federal court by FreecycleSunnyvale against the Freecycle Network[20] in January 2006. An injunction was granted against Tim Oey in May 2006 for allegedly disparaging the TFN trademark.[21] The injunction was stayed in July 2006 and dissolved by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in September 2007.[22] To defend its trademark in 2006, TFN pursued other free recycling groups who used the word "freecycle" or allegedly had "confusingly similar derivations thereof".[23]

Free-speech advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and 38 law professors, filed an amicus brief[24] opposing a trademark-infringement lawsuit filed by TFN against Tim Oey. The opposition was based on the position that the lawsuit violated Oey's First Amendment rights. Other law professors, including Lawrence Lessig, and Jimmy Wales filed a second amicus brief[25] in support of Oey. In 2007, the US 9th Circuit Court affirmed that freecycle may be used as a word.[26]

On November 24, 2010, TFN lost its trademark claim to "Freecycle" and its logo in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.[27] Justice Consuelo María Callahan wrote in her opinion, "Beal did not coin the word 'freecycle' and TFN is not the first organization to promote freecycling ... even ... viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to TFN ... [they] engaged in naked licensing and consequently abandoned the trademarks."[28]

On September 25, 2012, TFN gained a registered trademark in the United States for Freecycle.org (registration number 4215094) from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.[29] TFN also received a registered-collective-membership trademark on that date (registration number 4215095).[30] TFN maintains additional registered trademarks in the European Union, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.

UK breakaway

During 2009, there were conflicts between the UK's independent association of TFN moderators and the organization's founders[31] over the UK-based TFN groups' lack of freedom to develop local initiatives and features and their treatment of volunteer group owners and moderators.[32] This resulted in the dismissal of at least 20 local group owners and moderators, who were replaced with new local TFN volunteers.[33] Many owners of UK-based TFN groups formed a new independent association, Freegle.[34][35][36] TFN continued in the UK, with both groups present in many areas.[37]

Payment to Founder

Based on the latest IRS 990s, the Freecycle founder receives an annual payment of £83,569 per year while the other listed officers are not compensated. [39] Current 990 Forms (up to 2023) are available through a search of the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. [40]

abbreviation	TFN
formation	May 1, 2003‡R1R‡
status	501(c)3
purpose	Reuse
region served	121 countries‡R2R‡
membership	6,880,991‡R3R‡
leader title	Founder, executive director
leader name	Deron Beal‡R4R‡
website	www.freecycle.org

The Freecycle Network

History

Membership

Controversies

Trademark issues

UK breakaway

Payment to Founder

See also

External links

References