You know the Simpsons episode where Kent Brockman previews a news clip by saying: “A new fad is sweeping the nation: Wasting Food!” and the guy in the video behind him tosses a whole plate of dinner into the garbage? Did you think that was funny? Then may I introduce to you a similar fad slowly growing with its own chapter here in Toronto: FreecycleTO. An email group that can yield some pretty hot booty if you’re fast enough.

I posted two old 7200 PowerPC Macs to the group and had them snagged up faster than I could hit refresh. Literally out of the basement where they were collecting dust for a year, within 5 minutes. No I didn’t expect any money for them. I could have put them to the curb and have them magically dissapear that way but there was the chance they’d be gutted and their remnants litter our street. This way I know they’re going to someone who wants/needs them, without the “garbage-picker!” chants from the kids in the neighborhood.

This gives Bill Gates, Ayn Rand and the Grinch acid reflux, I’m sure. There are under 4500 members in this group (that’s GTA Toronto, there’s a freecycle Cabbagetown too) all offering and asking for stuff at about 50-80 emails on average per day. Check it out.