The Buy Nothing Project
FoundersRebecca Rockefeller
Liesl Clark
Websitewww.buynothingproject.org

The Buy Nothing Project is a global conglomeration of community-based groups, founded in Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 2013, that encourages giving (or recycling) of consumer goods and services (called "gifts of self"[1]) in preference to conventional commerce. The stated aim of the Buy Nothing Project is to "set the scarcity model of our cash economy aside in favor of creatively and collaboratively sharing the abundance around us".[2] It began as a Facebook campaign, (existing now both on Facebook and as a standalone, independent app) and has built up local groups in the US and other countries, claiming over 4,000 volunteers.[2][3]

Global and local impact

On a local level, each Buy Nothing Project group may contribute significantly to local waste prevention and waste reduction efforts,[4] but the actual impact of local Buy Nothing Project groups has not been measured or surveyed.

The project website notes that because the map of groups was based on existing neighborhood boundaries, and those boundaries have been influenced by socioeconomic differences and practices such as redlining, the map "began to align with unjust boundaries, including historic redlining, and this alignment amplified these injustices".[5] In the summer of 2020, the project went through an "equity overhaul" to diversify the local groups. The leader of one in Minneapolis, Minnesota said, "It's been hard to diversify our groups, because our groups reflect our neighborhoods and our neighborhoods are largely segregated in Minneapolis".[6] Globally, the Buy Nothing Project has been featured by media in USA (see references), UK, Asia and Australia. With the advent of the Buy Nothing mobile app, membership is possible wherever one is situated in the world and geographic boundaries no longer matter for travellers who want to participate outside of the area where they reside.

Organization and goals

The Buy Nothing Project encourages local communities to focus on improving the community in which they live[7] and keep groups small and local to minimise distance travelled to pick up items.[8] There is no overt criticism of consumerism, but the project's goals include saving money and reducing waste.[9] The projects' co-founders, Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark, say that it is not just recycling: it is a way to fuel the gift economy and build community.[10]

Members are expected to follow the rules and mission statement of the project,[11] although some groups and group leaders tailor the rules to better suit their local community of the type of project they wish to coordinate.[5]

Membership is restricted to persons of legal age as prescribed by the laws of each group's geographic location.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Walker, Quoron (November 2017). "'Buy Nothing Project' Pays In Camaraderie". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 "About - Buy Nothing Project". buynothingproject.org. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  3. ↑ Jeff Brady (May 24, 2018). "Facebook Project Wants You To 'Buy Nothing' And Ask For What You Need". National Public Radio. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. ↑ "'Giving feels good': social media project gets Lamma residents sharing". South China Morning Post. 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2019-03-07.(subscription required)
  5. 1 2 3 "The Fine Print: Buy Nothing Project Global Standard Rules". Buy Nothing Project. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  6. ↑ O'Loughlin, Margie (24 February 2021). "Buy Nothing Project". Longfellow Nokomis Messenger. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  7. ↑ Wahlquist, Calla (3 January 2021). "Inside the hyper-local world of Facebook's 'buy nothing' groups". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  8. ↑ Bolt, Annalise. "Buy Nothing". Nine News Perth. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  9. ↑ Bond, Casey (28 February 2020). "'Buy Nothing' Groups: Stop Spending Money And Just Ask For What You Need". Huffpost. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  10. ↑ "About". Buy Nothing Project. Retrieved 19 April 2021. [W]hether people join because they'd like to quickly get rid of things that are cluttering their lives, or simply to save money by getting things for free, they quickly discover that our groups are not just another free recycling platform. A gift economy's real wealth is the people involved and the web of connections that forms to support them.
  11. ↑ "Mission & Principles". Buy Nothing Project. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
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