June 19, 2023

Why “Buy Nothing” Groups Are Growing in Popularity

About Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a Los Angeles-based freelance published in The New York Times, Woman's Day, AARP, Parade, Wired, Glamour, People and more.

Remember the days of tossing things in the trash when you no longer needed them? Nowadays, people are looking for alternative options. As the push to be more environmentally friendly continues, individuals are looking for greener ways to get rid of things they no longer need. This includes finding places to recycle what they can and donating thingsthem to their local Buy Nothing Groups. But what is a “Buy Nothing Group”? Chances are you’ve heard of them. And if you haven’t, you likely soon will. These are growing in popularity and for good reasons too!

What is a Buy Nothing Group?

Buy Nothing Groups are part of a bigger project, called Tthe Buy Nothing Project, which was started in 2013 by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller of Bainbridge Island, Washington who were looking to create a hyper-local gift economy. The goal was to reduce waste by encouraging people to give away or recycle items instead of tossing them in landfills. In addition, the idea is that instead of buying something brand new from the store, you may just be able to find it from a neighbor who is giving it away. This branched into local groups that people across the country can join and use as a way to participate in the project within their community.

What can you do in a Buy Nothing Group?

“Buy Nothing groups are popping up all over America, and they are changing the way people give and receive goods,” says Susan Anderson, the founder of The Worthy Goods, a firm that strives to be a reliable and trustworthy guide for consumers looking to make conscious purchasing decisions. “Imagine being able to declutter your home and get the things you need without spending a dime!”, says Anderson. This is the concept behind the Buy Nothing Groups. Have a baseball bat, accent table, or a plant pot that you no longer need? You can post it in the group and give it away to someone else. Need an apron, watering can, or garden hose? Chances are, someone in your local Buy Nothing Group has one they are looking to rehome.

Exchanging goods on Buy Nothing Groups helps to cut down on the amount of trash that ends up in landfills. It also may save you money, as oftentimes that very thing you were looking to buy can be given to you for free. Buy Nothing Groups also allow you to interact with your local community. “They provide an opportunity to build relationships, share skills and expertise, and form lasting connections with like-minded individuals,” says Anderson. Some people make friends who live in their zip code by posting in these groups and finding people who share similar hobbies, like gardening, to chat with. These groups can also be a great way to find unique goods that you may not come across in your local store, such as antiques.

What to give away

You can use your local Buy Nothing Group to donate everything from the substitute tea that the grocery store delivery person brought you that you don’t like, to extra pet food, furniture you’re ready to part ways with, and beyond. And you never know what someone might be into. “One person's trash truly is another's treasure,” says Alannah Hardcastle, Social Impact Manager at Random Acts of Green. “What may seem like 'garbage' to you could be a material that can be transformed into something new,” she adds.

Hardcastle, for instance, had a pile of scrap denim – torn jeans beyond wearable from years of use working in the trades – that she posted in her local group. People jumped at the chance to turn them into all sorts of new and interesting things via art projects and they quickly found a new home. She also renovated a house built in the 1940s, and donated old glass doorknobs on her local group and made someone’s day. “They were in the process of restoring their family home built in the 1940's and they were hoping to historically maintain it with fixtures from that time,” she says. So, when in doubt, before throwing anything away, she suggests posting it to the Buy Nothing Group to see if someone wants it. “I have been laughed at time and time again from my friends saying ‘no one will possibly want that junk’ and yet, time and time again - someone always reaches out with interest. Try it and you will be surprised!” she proclaims.

How can you join your local group?

Visit the Buy Nothing website and click “Join” to find your local group. You can download the Buy Nothing app for the groups and sign up for your local group there. You can also search for your local Facebook group, put in your zip code and join that way too. Note that you can only join one Buy Nothing Group at a time, so you’ll want to join the one that is in your community. For even more help on the best practices of using the group, check out the Buy Nothing Academy, a free online course brought to you by the Buy Nothing Project with lessons written by the project’s founders.

And make sure to be safe and smart when using these Buy Nothing Groups. Many Buy Nothing Group exchanges happen on porches or outdoors. Once you select someone to pick up an item, give them your address (or arrange a neutral pick-up location) and tell them you’ll have the item outside waiting for them. If you are going to have them ring your doorbell or step inside your home, make sure that you have a buddy with you for safety in numbers. The same goes for when you are meeting up with someone to pick up an item. And if you’re living in a Brookdale community, the lobby of your building is a great place to make these exchanges.

Join your local community, give it a whirl, and see what you think.