If the best things in life are free, a good place to find them might just be through a Buy Nothing group.
Whether it’s food for your pantry, plants for your shelves, supplies for your cabinet, items to decorate your home or clothes for your wardrobe, the list of giveaway items available in the online groups includes almost everything imaginable.
The Buy Nothing Project began in 2013 when two friends created an experimental local gift economy in Washington. Since then, it’s become a worldwide social movement, with groups in 44 nations.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Sharon Malec, who has belonged to two Buy Nothing groups, looks over a table full of items she is giving away, including wicker roll-up blinds.
In Manitoba, Buy Nothing groups have sprouted all over the province, with individual online groups for each community and neighbourhood offering a place to give, ask, reuse, share, lend and borrow.
People join for all kinds of reasons. Some want to quickly get rid of things that are cluttering their lives, others join to save money by acquiring things for free. Then there are the environmental reasons. Extending the life of stuff that would otherwise go to a landfill is an act of eco-compassion, say proponents of these groups.
Not only can you get all kinds of stuff for free but people will come and haul away your stuff for free.
But Buy Nothing is not just another free recycling platform. Part of the gift economy’s ultimate value is the people involved and the connections that form to support them. Group members spend time interacting and finding new ways to give back to the community, creatively and collaboratively sharing the abundance of free stuff, all the while avoiding waste.
Globally, various versions of these Buy Nothing Project groups, some affiliated, others not, exist on every continent except Antarctica.
Sharon Malec has belonged to two Buy Nothing groups for more than a few years and she loves that they serve a variety of needs.
“These groups are the best around,” Malec said. “Many people put wishes in as well for food and such, and neighbours come to their aid. I so very often can’t help others with money so this is a definite way for me to be able to help others. There are all kinds of empty containers that people need for projects, whether at home, school or daycare. I save them all, then post them to give away. Saves the landfill, too.
“I’m not running to drop my stuff off anywhere; people come get it, in most cases. There are those who don’t have transportation and they post that they need drop-off, so if they’re not too far I will definitely do that.
“I have also been the recipient of a few items, especially plants. I am constantly giving plant clippings away and I like to ask for the odd one. People are always very helpful and willing to give.”
Malec has in the past brought items to thrift stores for donation, but she liked the idea of helping her own community. When a friend mentioned Buy Nothing groups, she eagerly began posting giveaway items. She has also received some cherished things, including a bike in very good condition for her granddaughter.
While doing regular cleanups at home, Malec sets aside some things she can’t use anymore and then starts posting them online. From kitchen items such as bowls and cups to window coverings and her granddaughter’s wardrobe, as she outgrows her clothes every year, there’s no shortage of interest for the free stuff.
When it’s time to give away the clothes, Malec encourages her granddaughter to choose a number to determine which of the lucky group members will be gifted with that particular treasure.
Now and again Malec has found a thank-you card in her mailbox. She knows the difference these groups can make, and refers to a post from a woman whose stove had just stopped working. Malec just happened to have an extra microwave in her basement so she drove it over to her.
“It was like I gave her a million bucks. She was in desperate need and didn’t have the funds. There’s so much stuff that people can use. A food-bank volunteer posted that she was looking for bread bags. I’m saving mine now.
“I think it’s made a difference for so many people; they need this stuff. At one time I used to sell on (Facebook) Marketplace, but for the most part now I just give it away. It’s amazing the things some very talented people can bring to life. These groups definitely have a big and positive impact on the environment. We just need more to get on board with this giving. There is so much that is repurposed on these sites. I’m always amazed and excited to see what people can do.”
Though affiliated with two online giveaway groups, longtime Wolseley resident Nancy Gill says the boulevard is also a good place to check before you go shopping. Treasures can be found there, too, especially in a neighbourhood known for sharing its resources.
“I really believe in the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle,” said Gill. “I think we need to move away from the disposable society that has been promoted for so long. The landfills are overflowing and yet some people are going without the basics or the little extras that can make a place a home. The Buy Nothing groups are great because I am hesitant to put breakable or sharp items out on the boulevard for giveaway.”
She notes that when her parents moved into an assisted-living complex she re-homed a full set of dishes, wine glasses, cutlery and assorted garden tools through a giveaway group.
“These groups benefit people and the environment. The planet doesn’t have an infinite supply of resources to keep making more and more stuff. Limited material results in price increases. And some things are no longer available. When we give away what we aren’t using, we help others, we help ourselves by freeing up space, and we help our world. It’s a win-win-win situation.”
Go to buynothingproject.org or search “buy nothing” on Facebook to find your neighbourhood group.
