{{short description|Social experiment and global conglomeration of community-based groups}} {{Infobox organization | name = The Buy Nothing Project | founders = Rebecca Rockefeller,<br /> Liesl Clark | logo = Buy Nothing Project Logo V2.jpg | founded = {{start date and age|2013}} | founding_location = Bainbridge Island, Washington, U.S. | status = Benefit corporation<ref name= about>"[https://www.buynothingproject.org/about About]". ''Buy Nothing Project''. Retrieved May 1, 2024.</ref> | num_members = 7.5{{nbsp}}million<ref name= about/> | website = {{URL|http://www.buynothingproject.org}} }}
The '''Buy Nothing Project''' is a global conglomeration of community-based groups, founded in Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 2013, that encourages giving (or recycling) of consumer goods and services (called "gifts of self"<ref name="HartfordCT">{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Quoron |title='Buy Nothing Project' Pays In Camaraderie |url=https://www.courant.com/community/south-windsor/hc-sw-south-windsor-buy-nothing-1102-20171101-story.html |website=Hartford Courant |date=November 2017 |access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref>) in preference to conventional commerce.
The stated aim of the Buy Nothing Project is "to build resilient communities where our true wealth is the connections forged between neighbors".<ref name="about" /> It began as a Facebook campaign, (now existing both on Facebook and as a standalone, separate app) and has built up local groups in the US and other countries, claiming over 4,000 volunteers and 7.5{{nbsp}}million community members.<ref name="about" /><ref name="npr.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/05/24/613270172/facebook-project-wants-you-to-buy-nothing-and-ask-for-what-you-need|title=Facebook Project Wants You To 'Buy Nothing' And Ask For What You Need|date=May 24, 2018|author=Jeff Brady|website=National Public Radio|access-date=11 January 2019}}</ref>
== Controversy == The Buy Nothing Project began enforcing its trademark in late 2025, leading to the shutdown of many independent Facebook gifting groups that used the term "Buy Nothing".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-11-07 |title=Why all the free-stuff Facebook groups you're part of just changed their name |url=https://sfstandard.com/2025/11/07/buy-nothing-group-facebook-taken-down-trademark-infringment/ |access-date=2025-11-08 |website=sfstandard.com |language=en}}</ref> The organization stated it was protecting its intellectual property, though the move comes after its app with a paid option, which was launched in 2022.<ref name=":0" /> Consequently, many affected groups changed their names to continue operating independently.<ref name=":0" /> Some groups were able to get reinstated by Facebook under a new name.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-07 |title=The fight to save Buy Nothing |url=https://sf.gazetteer.co/the-fight-to-save-buy-nothing |access-date=2025-11-08 |website=sf.gazetteer.co |language=en}}</ref>
== Global and local impact == On a local level, each Buy Nothing Project group can sometimes contribute to local waste prevention and waste reduction efforts by reducing the need for people to buy new goods,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2166238/giving-feels-good-britons-lamma-island-facebook-project|title='Giving feels good': social media project gets Lamma residents sharing|date=2018-09-29|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|access-date=2019-03-07}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Learning to (not quite) buy nothing: Digital gift economies and household innovations reducing consumption|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210422424001199|journal=Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions|date=2024-12-01|issn=2210-4224|article-number=100929|volume=53|doi=10.1016/j.eist.2024.100929|first=Madeline|last=Taylor|first2=Paige|last2=Street|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Buy Nothing Project will remind you of everything good about humanity|url=https://www.today.com/tmrw/how-buy-nothing-project-taught-me-rethink-how-i-shop-t228063|website=TODAY.com|date=2021-08-25|access-date=2026-02-02|language=en}}</ref> but the actual impact of local Buy Nothing Project groups has not been measured or surveyed.
The project website notes that because the map of groups was based on existing neighborhood boundaries, and those boundaries have been influenced by socioeconomic differences and practices such as redlining, the map "began to align with unjust boundaries, including historic redlining, and this alignment amplified these injustices".<ref name=rules /> In the summer of 2020, the project went through an "equity overhaul" to diversify the local groups. The leader of one in Minneapolis, Minnesota said, "It's been hard to diversify our groups, because our groups reflect our neighborhoods and our neighborhoods are largely segregated in Minneapolis".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.longfellownokomismessenger.com/stories/buy-nothing-project,1711 |title=Buy Nothing Project |last=O'Loughlin |first=Margie |work=Longfellow Nokomis Messenger |date=24 February 2021 |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref>
Globally, the Buy Nothing Project has been featured by print/online media in USA (see references), UK, Asia and Australia, as well as video media such as this report by CBS Mornings: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_FQkTdBpzM CBS: "Buy Nothing Project" groups offering more than just gifts]. With the advent of the Buy Nothing mobile app, membership is possible wherever one is situated in the world and geographic boundaries no longer matter for travellers who want to participate outside of the area where they reside.
== Organization and goals == The Buy Nothing Project encourages local communities to focus on improving the community in which they live<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |last1=Wahlquist |first1=Calla |title=Inside the hyper-local world of Facebook's 'buy nothing' groups |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jan/04/inside-the-hyper-local-world-of-facebooks-buy-nothing-groups |access-date=4 January 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=3 January 2021}}</ref> and keep groups small and local to minimize distance traveled to pick up items.<ref name="9news">{{cite web |last1=Bolt |first1=Annalise |title=Buy Nothing |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MconmzK5F_c |website=Nine News Perth |access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref> There is no overt criticism of consumerism, but the project's goals include saving money and reducing waste.<ref name=huffpost>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/buy-nothing-groups_l_5e56b6b7c5b62e9dc7dbc2c9 |title='Buy Nothing' Groups: Stop Spending Money And Just Ask For What You Need |last=Bond |first=Casey |work=Huffpost |date=28 February 2020 |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> The projects' co-founders, Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark, say that it is not just recycling; it is a way to fuel the gift economy and build community.<ref name= about/>
Members are expected to follow the rules and mission statement of the project,<ref name=mission>{{cite web|url=https://buynothingproject.org/about/mission-and-principles/ |title=Mission & Principles |publisher=Buy Nothing Project |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> although in the traditional iteration, via Facebook groups the group leaders or moderators may choose to tailor the rules to better suit their local community of the type of project they wish to coordinate.<ref name=rules>{{cite web|url=https://buynothingproject.org/the-fine-print-2/ |title=The Fine Print: Buy Nothing Project Global Standard Rules |publisher=Buy Nothing Project |access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref>
Membership is restricted to persons of legal age as prescribed by the laws of each group's geographic location.<ref name=rules />
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://buynothingproject.org}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buy Nothing Project}} Category:Recycling organizations Category:DIY culture Category:Anti-consumerist groups Category:Benefit corporations