The concept of freecycling is pretty simple:

As Freecycle.org states:

Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.

When you want to find a new home for something -- whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door -- you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of your Freecycle group.

One main rule: Everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages.

Think globally, recycle locally. The Freecycle Network is open to all communities and to all individuals who want to participate. Freecycle groups are run by local volunteer moderators from across the globe who facilitate each local group - grassroots at its best!

One of the problems with freecycle in NYC is that the volume of messages on the email list is completely overwhelming, and the number of memebers is equally large, you have to act quick and have a means to go get something from the gifter quickly.

Another way of accomplishing hte same things is with a "free store" or a place where you don't have to pay for things.  This is a difficult enterprise in NYC where retail space is at a premium, and in fact the only freestore i know about closed in brooklyn not too long ago.

I invision our co-op taking a ground floor room and making a freestore.  Co-op members could drop off their castoffs and others could pick from them.  Periodically we could call up the Salvation Army and have them pick up anything that doesn't get taken.

This would reduce the amount of trash that has to get taken to landfills and could save us money, individually, by finding things we need.