The Buy Nothing Project Gift Economies
This is the backstory behind local gift economies of The Buy Nothing Project, an experimental social movement sweeping across the globe. To join your nearest Buy Nothing community or start one in your neighborhood, visit our Start A Group page.
Introducing The Buy Nothing Project:
An island community off the coast of Seattle launches a gift economy where people can offer freely what they have or ask for what they need. In less than a month, over 1000 members have given, borrowed, loaned, mended and shared thousands of items including garden produce, furniture, even kayaks and services, too. Watch these islanders give freely and build a resilient and trusting community.
A community on a small island off the coast of Seattle launches a gift economy called the Buy Nothing Project and it becomes so successful that they begin gifting other communities to share the love. Children, families, neighbors, many of the strangers, contribute toward pinatas that the island gifters plan to offer to a new Buy Nothing group in another community.
This is what a modern-day gift economy looks like, a symbiosis of people giving in creative ways.
How can I get involved w/o Facebook?
Hi George, All of the Buy Nothing Project groups use facebook, yes … and people often ask us why we chose Facebook as our platform for The Buy Nothing Project. 1) It’s free; 2) Most of our friends and neighbors are on Facebook; and 3) It’s transparent. Transparency is the key ingredient to keeping a gift economy sustainable over time. Though there are some limitations to Facebook, the BNP is a network of groups completely run by Volunteers, without a budget (or time) to put the effort required into developing and maintaining a stand-alone site at this time. Thanks for your interest in the Project!
I guess I’ll join Facebook. I am very interested and there is a group in Decatur, GA near where I live. I would really like to get an email from someone in that group before I commit. I need to know who, what, when, why, and how.
*I, has so much appreciation for what you has started it,I has not participate in any buy nothing exchange jet but,I share your values, and has done this through my life , and i know that , when we share or give something life meaning has more significance, and created a human connection
Hi, Erika! Thank you very much for your kind words! And we couldn’t agree more. If you would like to find your hyper-local Buy Nothing group, please have a look at the list, and copy/paste the link for your neighborhood into your browser, which will then give you an option to ‘request to join.’ https://bnponfb.wpcomstaging.com/find-a-group/ Thanks for your interest in our social experiment!