The Buy Nothing Project
If you've checked out the Quick Tips section of this blog, you may have seen my suggestion about getting involved with something called the Buy Nothing Project. I'm a big advocate for this project because of all the good it does for the environment and for the community so I thought I'd elaborate about this initiative in this post!
The Buy Nothing Project (BNP) is a community-based project that encourages neighbors to share what they have instead of buying new items. You can find the website for the project here. The BNP has groups all over the country and all over the world. Find your location here! If there isn't a BNP in your area, you can also start one!
According to the BNP website, these are the project's principles:
"Buy Nothing: Give Freely. Share Creatively. Post anything you’d like to give away, lend, or share among neighbors. Ask for anything you’d like to receive for free or borrow. Keep it legal. Keep it civil. No buying or selling, no trades or bartering, no soliciting for cash. We’re an adult-only, hyper-local gift economy. You can join one group only, the group where you live, so you can literally 'give where you live'. This is what builds community."
Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdlugosz/2609920304
So at it's core, the BNP is a Facebook-based group with many, many different subgroups all over the world. Once you've been accepted into your local BNP group, you can post anything you want to get rid of but you can also request something! Requests and gifts don't have to be physical items; they can be services, too, such as car consultations, dog walks, and more. The BNP is fairly open to all kinds of gifts and requests!
I have been a member of my BNP for the past year and have really enjoyed it! I have both requested items and given things away, too. Things I've given away include a few calendars, a PS4, books, and nail care products. Things I've received include an aquaponics system, makeup, instruments, fabric, and more!
The Buy Nothing Project builds community while keeping materials out of the landfill. The BNP preaches that you shouldn't throw something away just because you're finished with it; that item might be just what your neighbor is looking for!
So try it out! Join your local BNP and have fun giving things away while getting to know your neighbors! Tell me about your experience in the comments!