The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan

March 1, 2020

Cofounders of the Buy Nothing Project Clark and Rockefeller offer a seven-step manual that teaches readers how to buy less, give more, and live generously. Based on a project in which neighbors actually bought nothing but shared and pooled resources, this guide presents concrete suggestions on how to avoid buying plastic, create a gift economy group, and find inventive ways to lend and borrow different items. This book not only enlightens readers on the consequences of using disposable goods but encourages them to think outside the box and envision the unforeseen blessings of sharing and using less. VERDICT A great springboard to finding an antidote to consumerism.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2020
Troubled by plastic waste littering the beach, Clark and Rockefeller began a campaign to reduce the use of plastics in their Washington State community. As they weaned themselves and their families from bags and wraps, they also began noticing just how many other things they purchased and eventually threw away. Concern for the environment led them to start the Buy Nothing Project, which strives to reduce trash and increase community connections by sharing or gifting used objects. The authors present a seven-step challenge that encourages readers to think before buying, gift unused items, borrow instead of purchase, fix still-usable items, repurpose leftovers, recycle what's left, and be grateful to those who share. Not only do members save space and money, they also often find themselves forming warm relationships between givers and receivers. Clark and Rockefeller offer specific steps on how to set up local groups (with or without social media), and participants share their heartwarming stories. Hopefully their work will inspire others with stuffed closets and storage lockers to do the same.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)