Buy Nothing, Change Everything!
Could buying less and sharing more save us money, time, space, and our planet? Megha introduces the global Buy Nothing Project.
By Megha Jindal
I have too much stuff. No matter how much I ‘konmari’ my house, it seems to pile up. And yet, my family wants more. I don't have enough space, money, or time for it all. I wish I could talk to someone about it but I hardly have any real friends or neighbors. Actually, I don't even know the name of little Nikki's dad next door. I know what I'll do! Let me pull out my reusable big, blue bags and make a trip to IKEA. Even though I have too much stuff and hardly any space, time, or money for it. Sigh! I wish I could talk to someone about it but I hardly have any real friends or neighbors…
Have you found yourself in this vicious cycle? I inhabit it. I am willing to bet that you do, too. What if there was a connection between this relentless quest for acquiring things, our increasingly lonely lives, and the eroding state of our planet?
The Buy Nothing Project
In 2013, two visionary mums connected these gloomy dots and decided to do something about it. Liesl and Rebecca came up with the Buy Nothing Project. The premise is straightforward—buying less and sharing more amongst our real-life neighbors can have wide-ranging benefits for our personal and collective wellbeing.
Starting from their neighborhood in Bainbridge Island, Washington, the project has become a global social movement. Over 5 million families across 44 countries have joined this quiet revolution. They have woven 7,000 plus neighborhoods where they give, share, and receive gifts of goods and services without any money or strings attached.
No gift or ask is too big or too small. Your imagination and creativity is the only limit. No bartering or trades; no money whatsoever. Simple, unconditional giving and receiving amongst fellow neighbors.
Buy Nothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide gift economy network in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people. It believes that communities are more resilient, sustainable, equitable, and joyful when they have functional gift economies.
The Buy Nothing Project runs deeper than what I have shared. At the very least, it makes day-to-day living more joyful. At its very best, it has the power to transform the way we live our lives. If you are curious, explore the organization’s website, Facebook page, podcast, and book. The entire global project is run as a non-profit, and any proceeds from book sales or donations go directly into developing the app.
Buy Nothing is not an all-or-nothing movement. You get to decide how deep you want to go. Every layer unlocks its own value—for you, your family, and your neighborhood.
When you use the Buy Nothing App, you commit to
- participating at your own risk
- keeping everything legal
- no hate speech, threats or harassment
- giving freely, receiving freely, and sharing freely
- building trust
- being accountable for yourself
- showing your humanity
- being open to creativity
How it works
- Download the app from www.buynothingproject.org.
- Create your profile. Users must be over 18 years of age.
- Et Voila! Meet your neighbors—people in your neighborhood who are registered on the app.
- Watch and learn—who’s giving what, who’s asking for what.
- Dive in! What would you like to gift, share, or ask for?
- Enjoy sharing amongst your newfound neighbors.
- Invite your neighbors or acquaintances to the app. The more, the merrier!
Before I Go…
I wish I could tell you I have quit my toxic consumption cycle, but I still inhabit it. Buy Nothing gives me a chance to break free from time to time, to share the excess in my life, ask for things I need, and to get to know the people around me a little. My skeptic husband takes delight in having an outlet for all the things HE thinks we need to let go. My nine-year-old boy rolls his eyes at the tagline of "Buy Nothing. Give, Share, Build Community" but is delighted when puzzles and books appear out of nowhere, thanks to the generosity of neighbors. He can see there is an alternative to buying.
Will this save the planet? I don't know. I do know that it makes me feel more human, is lighter on the pocket, and helps to reduce the clutter in my home. That's enough for me.
What about you? Are you ready to take a crack at Buy Nothing?
Images courtesy of the author.
About the Author
Megha has been temporarily living in Bangkok since 2013. She is proud to have launched the first two Buy Nothing groups in the city and is now a community builder on the global Buy Nothing app. She looks forward to connecting with you there!
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