By Carrie Wenninger | CNA Media Team
Hyperlocal. It’s a term that’s been trending for a while now. It can mean spending your dollars at neighborhood businesses or eating fresh produce grown miles or blocks, away.
It can also mean putting a call out to your most immediate neighbors for art supplies, or offloading that ill-fitting but oh-so-cute sundress that you know would look great – on someone else.
Enter the BuyNothingProject.org, an organization focusing on the creation of hyperlocal gift economies – the giving and receiving of goods and services without charge – neighbor to neighbor.
With a founding principle of “Give Where You Live,” the Buy Nothing Project believes the true wealth of the network is found in the web of connections created when people give to, receive from (and thank) their neighbors.
Curious? Consider joining the Concordia Buy Nothing Facebook group. You’ll be asked to provide cross streets to assure you’re in the right group because the Concordia group’s boundaries mirror the neighborhood association’s boundaries. Also note: you may be a member of only one Buy Nothing Project group.
From the BuyNothingProject.org website, here are the types of posts that fit the mission:
- Offers of any goods or services you’d like to share, loan or give away
- Requests for services or any goods you’d like to borrow or keep
- Gratitude posts to fuel the magic
- Gifts of self, talent and time
Sarah Brice, volunteer administrator with the thriving Concordia group, once posted an ask for broken mirrors to use as mosaic for an art project titled Gatto della Verità.
Neighbors responded and reflective shards began flowing in, allowing her to complete the piece, which was displayed at the Portland Winter Light Festival 2018.
On why she loves Buy Nothing, Sarah said, ‘It’s a great way to get to know my neighbors. The communications are typically positive, and it’s lovely to see my neighbors through such a generous lens.
“People always surprise me with how thoughtful and kind they are. I know that when I ask for something, I will not be traveling far. Likewise, I know that when I offer something, it is going to someone in the neighborhood.
“Also, I am sure that I’m not the only one who is happy to consume less and save some money too. Finally, it’s a great way to move along things that no longer serve my needs.”
Carrie Wenninger lives on 29th Avenue in Concordia. She is a freelance writer, a mom, a world traveler and a small business marketing consultant. Contact her at WurdGurl@gmail.com.