(c) 2022 The Buy Nothing Project, Inc.
Why we exist

We exist for the sole purpose of building community.


We believe a gift economy's real wealth is the people involved and the web of connections that form to support them.

We are Grateful to Everyone Who Supports Buy Nothing
We are powered by YOU
Thank you! 
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Buy Nothing 101

In a nutshell:

BuyNothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide gift economy network in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people. We believe that communities are more resilient, sustainable, equitable, and joyful when they have functional gift economies.


Principles:

  • We believe our hyper-local groups strengthen the social fabric of their communities, and ensure the health and vitality of each member.
  • We come from a place of abundance ~ not scarcity.
  • We believe in abundance, we give, we ask, we share, we lend and we express gratitude.
  • We are a gift economy, not a charity. We see no difference between want and need, waste and treasure.
  • We do not buy, sell, trade, barter, or otherwise exchange money for items or services.
  • We measure wealth by the personal connections made and trust between people.
  • We value people and their stories and narratives above the ‘stuff.’
  • We are inclusive at our core.
  • We value honesty and integrity in all our interactions.
  • We view all gifts as equal; the human connection is the value.
  • We believe every community has the same wealth of generosity and abundance.

Looking for Buy Nothing 101 in your language? Click here.

By the numbers
6.5m
Buy Nothing community members
13k
Amazing Buy Nothing community builders
7.5k+
Buy Nothing communities
450K
BuyNothing app downloads, worldwide
Our origins story
We made a discovery that changed our lives.
We started as two friends, Rebecca and Liesl, with our kids on a Pacific Northwest beach where we realized that much of the beachscape around us was washed-up plastic, plastics of every shape, color and size. We spent years collecting and inventorying those plastics and learned that they come from each of us, from our homes, our cars, our workplaces. They wash down our watersheds into our oceans. We started the Buy Nothing Project in an effort to stave off pervasive plastics in every ecosystem on Earth by encouraging each of us to Buy Less and share more.

A community-building social movement was born.
Why we built our own platform
Here are four reasons we (finally) decided to invest in and build our own Buy Nothing platform.
  • 1
    Reaching a Broader Audience
    Let's face it. There are many many people that choose not to use FB. We need a place where everyone is welcome. We have gathered together leaders in the industry who can provide quality and value to our participants who come from all 18+ age brackets. So many of are looking for ways to make a difference. Buying Nothing is one of those ways.
  • 2
    Purpose-Built for Buy Nothing Sharing
    We have built the BuyNothing app from the ground up, with input from participants who all want to see a purpose-led app that is crafted specifically for hyperlocal sharing.
  • 3
    Dynamic Boundaries
    You will now be the center of your sharing circle and can adjust it according to your needs. Relocating, traveling, sharing for a friend/family member, is now easy and seamless. Come learn how you can dynamically change your sharing settings from Hyperlocal (within ~1 mi/km) to Neighborhood+ (within ~3 mi/km) or to Surrounding Areas (within ~6 mi/km). Each setting is customized for your specific needs.
  • 4
    Scaling to Support our Global Platform
    The BuyNothing app enables us to scale this social movement so anyone can start sharing in their community immediately. We respect and value your time. There is no longer an approval queue, no need for referrals, no delays. And features in the app encourage anyone to start Building Community as soon as they download the app.
Get Involved!
Love the mission? Have a little bit of free time? Come join us as a volunteer.
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From the Newsroom
The latest Buy Nothing Project news coverage: