regiving

Regiving is the practice of giving away one's goods to others. It differs from straightforward giving in that goods are not acquired specifically for donation. Typically, goods which are surplus to requirements, which have been replaced or no longer meet the needs of the owner are offered to others for reuse or recycling. Often the motive is explicitly environmental, with regiving fitting in with the reduce, reuse, recycle approach to conserving resources. For others, and especially in its original contexts, the motives are principally charitable.

The Internet has given new impetus to regiving, and allowed much larger networks to be built at no or minimal cost. Several regiving networks have taken the lead in organizing regiving groups around the world. Networks and directories have been set up by several organizations, whilst the actual business of regiving is carried out in tens of thousands of local groups, some independent and others affiliated or controlled by a wider network.

The concept has been referred to as "freesharing", or "freecycling" (a contraction of "free recycling"). The Freecycle Network claims the latter term to be a violation of their trademark rights (despite having used it generically in the past themselves Internet Archive). There is ongoing litigation on this point, unsettled as of December, 2006.

See also: gift economy, give-away shop

Regiving Networks

Sharing is Giving

a directory of free recycling and exchange sites

The Freecycle Network

Don't Dump That

formerly known as Freecyclers

FreeSharing Network

provides the Free Recycling wiki and directory

FreeUsables Network

The Global Free Economy Project

Weblinks

• Altruists International project to promote regiving
• Freesharing's "sites like us" page
• http://freecycling.wordpress.com/ - free recycling blog

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