PENCINTA ALAM AUGUST 2021
GREEN LIVING COLUMN
JOINING THE ‘BUY NOTHING’ MOVEMENT
By Wong Ee Lynn <wongeelynn@yahoo.com>
The Buy Nothing Project is a movement founded by 2
mothers, Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark, in 2008, due to their growing
concern about the environment and their children’s future in an increasingly
materialistic world.
It soon grew into a global network of community-based
groups, often relying on Facebook, to “gift” (i.e. reuse, donate, or repurpose)
goods or services to other members of the group. Buy Nothing Groups are usually
successful because they are hyper-local. You can find local Buy Nothing Groups for
local residents in your particular neighbourhood and district.
Here are reasons why you should participate in a
sharing economy, either in your local Buy Nothing group, or on another
platform:
1.
Too often, we
foist our unwanted items on charity bins and thrift stores after decluttering. Your
donations, although well-intentioned, may end up sitting in dusty or dirty
storerooms for months and years, and new and valuable items can get mixed up
with older, poorer quality items and end up damaged or forgotten. Also, many
charities, recycling centres, and thrift stores are not able to operate during
the pandemic. Some have stopped accepting donations as they are unable to cope.
This means that your donations will not be able to be used to help others in
the way you hope it would.
2.
Instead of
indiscriminately dumping miscellaneous items from your home on a charity, it is
much more satisfying to find each item a good home with a new owner who truly
needs it. Some members of Buy Nothing groups are social media savvy but
economically struggling fresh graduates who need used furniture for their
rented rooms, young parents who need children’s clothes and baby items,
administrators of welfare homes or organisations that would gladly accept used
clothes and household items for refugees and the homeless, and amateur
repairmen who would like to have broken electrical appliances and gadgets that
they can then try to fix. Being able to match your donations with the most
suitable recipients can be very fulfilling and can greatly assist others.
3.
Participating in a
sharing economy prevents waste, helps others avoid unnecessary shopping, and
stops goods from going to the landfill, whether you are the one “gifting” the
item or the one requesting something specific.
4.
Participating in a
sharing economy and in Buy Nothing groups is also a more efficient way of
recycling and donating, as you may find local DIY-ers and upcyclers who can
find a use for your bubble wrap or old rags or plastic bags, and charities and
volunteers who work with underprivileged groups who may need your preloved
clothes for the homeless, plant pots to set up an urban farm for the needy, and
old towels and rags for rescued animals.
5.
Participating in
Buy Nothing groups can help you make new friends and connections and find out
about events and charitable organisations in your town or neighbourhood.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
1.
Before you set up
a Buy Nothing Group, search online first for groups in your area. Chances are,
there already is an existing Buy Nothing group that will meet your needs. Among
the more active groups on Facebook are “Buy Nothing Project Klang Valley Official”,
“Buy Nothing – Malaysia”, “Buy Nothing Project Klang Valley & PJ”, “Buy
Nothing Project Seremban & Negeri Sembilan”, and “Beli Nothing Project
Ipoh”.
2.
If there are no
Buy Nothing groups in your city or district, consider first if you are able to
handle the administrative duties of managing a Facebook group before you set
one up. You may need to see if you have friends who are willing to be co-opted
to help out as Group Administrators.
3.
If you do set up a
Buy Nothing group, have a look at the rules of other Buy Nothing groups and use
them as guidelines to prevent conflict, harassment, and inappropriate language
or conduct. You will need to be reasonably active on Facebook in order to
approve members and posts, deal with complaints and reports, mediate conflicts,
and block or ban offenders.
4.
If you join an
existing Buy Nothing Group, be sure to observe all group rules, be polite when
offering and requesting for items, and use the group’s codes and language, for
example, using hashtags like #gifting when offering items, and #ISO when
seeking and requesting specific items.
GUIDELINES TO POSTING ITEMS YOU WISH TO GIVE AWAY:
1.
Post pictures of
individual items. If you have 20 books to give away, post photos of each book,
and not the picture of a box or pile of assorted books and the request that
“one person takes all”. When you post photos of individual items, you increase
the chances of your donations going to people who truly want and appreciate
them, and your donations go out to a larger number of recipients. Consider this
question: What kind of person would actually want a box of books or a jumble of
items without looking at what they are requesting for? Chances are, people who
agree to take everything really just want a few items in your photo, and will
either dump the other items in the waste bin or in a forgotten part of their
home. Either way, some of your donations will end up either in a landfill run
by the municipal council or a landfill in a hoarder’s home!
2.
Be specific with
measurements and conditions of the items you are giving away. You don’t have to
write a thesis. “Men’s shoes, average-good condition, leather a bit cracked,
size 7” will do. You don’t have to provide a reason why you are giving it away
or communicate with the other members any more than you are comfortable with.
3.
Specify that
requestors are to collect the item from you themselves. You are not a courier,
delivery, or postal service. If you go out of your way to deliver your
donations to their new owners, you will very quickly find yourself burnt out
and resentful, and the group will not be a fun and positive experience for you
anymore. Specify if you are able to hang on to the item and wait for the
recipient to collect it, say, after lockdown is lifted.
4.
Set clear rules
for who will be your chosen recipient. You may choose to give your item to the
most deserving and needy requestor. In that case, specify in your post that you
may choose the recipient that you feel is the most deserving and the item will
not automatically go to the first requestor. On the other hand, you may decide
to simplify matters by offering your items to the first requestor. In that
case, set the rule that they have to comment directly on the photo of each
item, and that you will not be entertaining private and direct messages unless
they have commented on each photo first to request and reserve the item. This
makes it fair to the other requestors, so they can see that someone else has
requested it first.
5.
Once you have
decided on the recipient of each item, let other group members know by changing
the caption of the photo to “GIFTED” or “RESERVED”. Some group members may then
ask to be put in the “queue”. The first person to ask to be put in the queue
will be the next person in line to receive the item if the original requestor
changes his/her mind.
KEEPING YOURSELF SAFE IN BUY NOTHING GROUPS:
1.
Do not give out
your phone number or any more personal information than you are comfortable
with disclosing. If you live in an apartment complex or gated community, you
can arrange to meet the recipient at the guardhouse instead. Alternatively,
choose your workplace or a public place, e.g. a bank or restaurant, that is
convenient to you as the meeting point. Trust your instincts – you may feel
completely comfortable giving a senior citizen, young mother, or
friend-of-a-friend your phone number and home address.
2.
If at any point
you no longer feel comfortable about giving an item to a particular recipient,
for example, if his or her queries seem excessively personal and intrusive, you
can tell them that you don’t wish to answer his or her questions, or you can
just leave the questions unanswered and hand over the items without feeling
obligated to make conversation or disclose personal information. If the
requestor makes you feel so uncomfortable that you change your mind about
meeting up and handing over the item, you can inform him or her that you have
changed your mind and block him or her on your phone or social media. Such
occurrences are very rare, but as public groups tend to attract many types of
people, meeting weirdos is a possibility that cannot be dismissed outright. If
you are harassed or if the requestor says or does anything inappropriate, you
can report him or her to the Buy Nothing group admin to have him / her blocked.
Take screenshots of any messages that you may be able to use to support your
allegation of harassment or impropriety.
WHAT IF I AM NOT ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
1.
You may not feel
comfortable joining public groups and meeting up with strangers, or you may
prefer to give the items to people you know. In that case, you can create a
photo album or post in your own social media account offering your items only
to your Friends or Friends-of-Friends. You can also post them in your own
Whatsapp groups. Unclaimed items can then be donated to a charity, sent for
recycling, or handed over to a friend or family member who is active in Buy
Nothing groups and is willing to post on your behalf.
2.
If taking photos
of each individual item, writing a caption about it, and responding to messages
and requests seem like too much work to you, seek the help of a friend or
family member who is active on social media and in Buy Nothing groups to take
photos and create posts on your behalf. They may also need to handle the items
on your behalf to make collection and delivery easier. Depending on the
workload, you may want to give them a small stipend or treat them to a meal for
helping you.
ALTERNATIVES TO BUY NOTHING GROUPS:
1.
You may feel that
you are not ready to part with an item that you paid a lot of money for. In
that case, the alternative is to sell them on groups offering secondhand and
preloved items. These include Facebook groups such as “Used Items For Sale –
Malaysia”, “KL Second Hand”, and “Second Hand Market Malaysia”. Be specific and
truthful on the condition of the item so that buyers know if they are getting a
good price for the item you are offering.
2.
An alternative to
buying and selling is to rent items, especially if you have big ticket items
that you use infrequently, such as power washers and party costumes. You may
need to request the personal information of the person renting from you and a
cash deposit in case of loss or damage. This enables you to get a return on
investment on expensive items, rent from others items that you use
infrequently, avoid unnecessary shopping, and prevent the wastage of resources.
Local rental groups (note: NOT property rental) include “Rent Something KL”.
