What do you think?
Rate this book
Nichts kaufen, alles haben: In 7 Schritten zu einem konsumfreien, nachhaltigen und großzügigen Leben
Klamotten, Kosmetik, Elektronik: Wir kaufen ständig neu und schmeißen vieles anschließend wieder weg. Was davon bleibt: Müllberge, die unseren Planeten zerstören, und das ungute Gefühl, den Blick für das Wesentliche zu verlieren. Liesl Clark und Rebecca Rockefeller, die Gründerinnen der globalen »Buy Nothing«-Bewegung, liefern mit diesem Buch eine fundierte Analyse unseres Kaufverhaltens und führen in sieben Schritten zu einer nachhaltigen Konsumkultur, die auf dem Prinzip des Schenkens und Tauschens beruht. So schonen wir Ressourcen, kommen unseren Mitmenschen näher und haben wieder Raum für die wirklich wichtigen Dinge im Leben.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2020
508 people are currently reading
3865 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
June 14, 2020
Oh the irony of writing a book about an anti-capitalist community mutual aid project... to sell for money.
When you add in that Liesl Clark robbed the graves of the Tibetans communities she “discovered” her brilliant idea from (which she is now attempting to profit from) AND she forced BNP groups that had become “too large” to divide even when community members explained that doing so would reinforce socio-economic divisions within the neighborhood... why spend money enriching someone who’s entire idea is about giving freely?!?!
When you add in that Liesl Clark robbed the graves of the Tibetans communities she “discovered” her brilliant idea from (which she is now attempting to profit from) AND she forced BNP groups that had become “too large” to divide even when community members explained that doing so would reinforce socio-economic divisions within the neighborhood... why spend money enriching someone who’s entire idea is about giving freely?!?!
July 10, 2020
This extremely informative book was given to me by the author to read and review. I loved it!! Like a lot of how to books it gives you information about decluttering your life but then it takes the concept to the next level and brings communities together. I'm a fan of the Kon Marie books and truly believe that if something doesn't bring you joy you should get it out of your life. But just because that punch bowl has just been in your way and you have seriously considered accidentally, on purpose, dropping it, doesn't mean it won't find a home with someone else. No contributing to the ever growing landfills and no explaining to Great Aunt Ethel how you could be so clumsy with the thoughtful wedding gift she gave you twenty years ago. Instead you passed it on to a young couple just getting started who didn't have such a 'thoughtful great aunt'.
This book gives you all the tools you need to set up a 'sharing group' that brings a community together like a family. It also helps you to find the methods to spread the love outside of your circle with people in need in other communities. I have already made great use of the tips and gone on to FB Marketplace to give away some things sitting unused in the closet and toys my grandchildren grew out of. I had some old bookcases that were practically falling apart, but instead of taking them to the dump I advertised them for free and a handy gentleman took them for the bookstore his wife was opening up.
This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. As a matter of fact I'm passing it on to my daughter in law who is a great environmentalist.
This book gives you all the tools you need to set up a 'sharing group' that brings a community together like a family. It also helps you to find the methods to spread the love outside of your circle with people in need in other communities. I have already made great use of the tips and gone on to FB Marketplace to give away some things sitting unused in the closet and toys my grandchildren grew out of. I had some old bookcases that were practically falling apart, but instead of taking them to the dump I advertised them for free and a handy gentleman took them for the bookstore his wife was opening up.
This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. As a matter of fact I'm passing it on to my daughter in law who is a great environmentalist.
June 1, 2020
This is a really good book and I recommend it for everyone. A lot of it is new in the genre because of the focus not just on not buying new stuff and reusing old stuff but on how to create a sharing community and why that is so transformative.
The authors have created "buy nothing" groups on small scales in their communities and have used them in really positive ways. They show you how this in-person giving is so much more meaningful than when we just drop stuff off at the thrift store. That really resonated with me, as I do frequently drop off bags and boxes at the thrift store but it doesn't feel nearly as good as when I give something to someone in person. They also show how these communities allow others to find something they can give (services, goods, whatever) so everybody is equal instead of creating an unequal charity environment.
The book is filled with examples of really wonderful things that happened as a result of the communities and networks that were created by these small buy-nothing groups. One actually brought me to tears, when they wrote about how they were able to get together $67,000 worth of tents, solar lights, emergency supplies and other needed goods directly to the people who needed it in rural India after a natural disaster, even getting it there largely for free (two airlines allowed people to bring extra duffels who were flying into the area, one pilot flew there on his own time, etc.). it was all stuff that others didn't need that these people specifically needed, and they were able to very quickly get it there through their networks and ingenuity. In another case, the sense of giving community ended up leading to a baby being adopted by a couple who had lived through 13 miscarriages and countless foster care adoptions that fell through, when they donated baby gear to a pregnant woman who turned out to be contemplating open adoption. Countless stories also reflected the friendships and even marriages created by the sense of community and friendship created through these networks, all while saving people a ton of money and helping the environment.
Two things that didn't work so much for me -- the parts on reusing things, what can be composted, why to buy less, etc. were all kind of preaching to the choir. Most people who'd pick up this book already know all that and it buried the better parts of the book. Also, I really felt the need for some concrete steps and Q&A for people to set up buy-nothing groups. They did give some good info, like limiting the number of people since you want small communities so there's a sense of knowing people and you don't get the greedy mass mentality. But there were so many areas where I wanted more info. What rules do you post? What do you do if someone just takes and doesn't give? What do you do if someone turns around and sells things they got for free? Are things given to the first who asks or the person the giver feels is the best fit? How do you set up a group like this as an introvert who's not inclined towards this kind of community building? I would have loved far more of this kind of nuts-and-bolts info.
All that said, this is a great book that's likely to be very inspirational. I'd love to see far more of these groups started around the world.
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
The authors have created "buy nothing" groups on small scales in their communities and have used them in really positive ways. They show you how this in-person giving is so much more meaningful than when we just drop stuff off at the thrift store. That really resonated with me, as I do frequently drop off bags and boxes at the thrift store but it doesn't feel nearly as good as when I give something to someone in person. They also show how these communities allow others to find something they can give (services, goods, whatever) so everybody is equal instead of creating an unequal charity environment.
The book is filled with examples of really wonderful things that happened as a result of the communities and networks that were created by these small buy-nothing groups. One actually brought me to tears, when they wrote about how they were able to get together $67,000 worth of tents, solar lights, emergency supplies and other needed goods directly to the people who needed it in rural India after a natural disaster, even getting it there largely for free (two airlines allowed people to bring extra duffels who were flying into the area, one pilot flew there on his own time, etc.). it was all stuff that others didn't need that these people specifically needed, and they were able to very quickly get it there through their networks and ingenuity. In another case, the sense of giving community ended up leading to a baby being adopted by a couple who had lived through 13 miscarriages and countless foster care adoptions that fell through, when they donated baby gear to a pregnant woman who turned out to be contemplating open adoption. Countless stories also reflected the friendships and even marriages created by the sense of community and friendship created through these networks, all while saving people a ton of money and helping the environment.
Two things that didn't work so much for me -- the parts on reusing things, what can be composted, why to buy less, etc. were all kind of preaching to the choir. Most people who'd pick up this book already know all that and it buried the better parts of the book. Also, I really felt the need for some concrete steps and Q&A for people to set up buy-nothing groups. They did give some good info, like limiting the number of people since you want small communities so there's a sense of knowing people and you don't get the greedy mass mentality. But there were so many areas where I wanted more info. What rules do you post? What do you do if someone just takes and doesn't give? What do you do if someone turns around and sells things they got for free? Are things given to the first who asks or the person the giver feels is the best fit? How do you set up a group like this as an introvert who's not inclined towards this kind of community building? I would have loved far more of this kind of nuts-and-bolts info.
All that said, this is a great book that's likely to be very inspirational. I'd love to see far more of these groups started around the world.
I read a digital ARC of this book for review.
June 14, 2020
Liesl Clark is a racist.
I was in a Buy Nothing Facebook group that the author, Liesl, forced to divide (or "sprout" as she called it) along racial and socio-economic lines. When confronted with how problematic this was, the author deflected and denied and then forcibly removed our local admin from their roles.
That not enough for you? Check out this video (https://buynothingproject.org/about/o...) where her and her family literally ROB THE GRAVES of the ethnic group in the Himalayas who they "learned" (aka, stole) about the gift economy from.
I was in a Buy Nothing Facebook group that the author, Liesl, forced to divide (or "sprout" as she called it) along racial and socio-economic lines. When confronted with how problematic this was, the author deflected and denied and then forcibly removed our local admin from their roles.
That not enough for you? Check out this video (https://buynothingproject.org/about/o...) where her and her family literally ROB THE GRAVES of the ethnic group in the Himalayas who they "learned" (aka, stole) about the gift economy from.
October 11, 2020
I love the premise of this book but some of the suggestions really missed the mark. Making your own yogurt takes a looong time and there’s no mention of proper temperature. Scary. Make beans in a slow cooker? Again, that takes forever. Make them in an electric pressure cooker instead. Raise your own chickens? It’s not as easy as they claim. Compost an entire fish? Why? Such a waste! Wrap gifts in inside-out potato chip bags? Really?!? Pick up pens off the ground and use them? Nope. Also, I made the all-purpose citrus cleaner (vinegar and orange peels). It didn’t cut through grease and it stained my towels orange. :(
April 24, 2021
Page 224: story told relaying how the author used her Facebook group as a community to gather gently used emergncy relief goods. Those goods were shipped from the US to Nepal. This story also includes the detail that the necessary equipment was already in Nepal, there were just issues transporting the goods from airports to the people who needed the goods.
Page 226 reiterating the importance of local communities sharing resources in order to curb pollution.
That about sums up the book- IMO it was more about virtue signaling, and less about problem solving through root causes.
Page 226 reiterating the importance of local communities sharing resources in order to curb pollution.
That about sums up the book- IMO it was more about virtue signaling, and less about problem solving through root causes.
April 11, 2020
I will allow this book to change my life, and you should too. We have created a monster of waste, capitalism, and poison in our environment and purchasing. Only we have the power to change our behavior.
Rebecca and Liesl kindly, thoughtfully, and excitedly offer fun and creative ways to rethink the way you live, “shop,” and provide.
I want everyone I know to read this book. Who wants to borrow my copy?
Rebecca and Liesl kindly, thoughtfully, and excitedly offer fun and creative ways to rethink the way you live, “shop,” and provide.
I want everyone I know to read this book. Who wants to borrow my copy?
October 5, 2020
I picked up this book in the first place because I'm already a Buy Nothing fanatic, so it goes without saying I loved this book.
For those of you not already familiar, Buy Nothing aims to create hyper local groups of neighbors (usually hosted on the Facebook platform) who give away things they no longer need to others who live nearby. A crazy range of things is offered - I've seen offers of everything from bags of raked leaves to brand-new VR sets (and even the most random-seeming things usually get a taker!). People can also ask for things, with a philosophy of "no ask is too large or too small." There's all sorts of reasons to participate: saving money, reducing waste and consumerism, building stronger community by relying on your neighbors, and simply to enjoy the feeling of giving.
I've used my local Buy Nothing groups to great success (as I write this review, I'm wearing a pair of leggings I received there), but this book opened my eyes to just how much more the project has achieved. I first joined Buy Nothing when COVID was already happening, which means most giveaways were purely porch pickups, where you never met the giver. The book talks about the many in-person relationships that formed between neighbors in times when giving and receiving did involve actual human interaction. People have found baby-sitters, emergency contacts, best friends, spouses, and even formed connections that led to child adoption by connecting with their local Buy Nothing group. While the movement is absolutely about creating a less consumerist, wasteful society, more than that, it's about social bonds and people.
I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE - but I also worry it will resonate, and be read, only by those only bought into the movement. The 3-star rating reflects what is a pretty average book that is also likely to get lost in the genre of "declutter your life!" even though its message is much more complex than that. But I would say: if you haven't heard of Buy Nothing, read this to get started; if you HAVE heard of Buy Nothing, read this to get some amazing ideas of how to make your local Buy Nothing community even stronger!
For those of you not already familiar, Buy Nothing aims to create hyper local groups of neighbors (usually hosted on the Facebook platform) who give away things they no longer need to others who live nearby. A crazy range of things is offered - I've seen offers of everything from bags of raked leaves to brand-new VR sets (and even the most random-seeming things usually get a taker!). People can also ask for things, with a philosophy of "no ask is too large or too small." There's all sorts of reasons to participate: saving money, reducing waste and consumerism, building stronger community by relying on your neighbors, and simply to enjoy the feeling of giving.
I've used my local Buy Nothing groups to great success (as I write this review, I'm wearing a pair of leggings I received there), but this book opened my eyes to just how much more the project has achieved. I first joined Buy Nothing when COVID was already happening, which means most giveaways were purely porch pickups, where you never met the giver. The book talks about the many in-person relationships that formed between neighbors in times when giving and receiving did involve actual human interaction. People have found baby-sitters, emergency contacts, best friends, spouses, and even formed connections that led to child adoption by connecting with their local Buy Nothing group. While the movement is absolutely about creating a less consumerist, wasteful society, more than that, it's about social bonds and people.
I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE - but I also worry it will resonate, and be read, only by those only bought into the movement. The 3-star rating reflects what is a pretty average book that is also likely to get lost in the genre of "declutter your life!" even though its message is much more complex than that. But I would say: if you haven't heard of Buy Nothing, read this to get started; if you HAVE heard of Buy Nothing, read this to get some amazing ideas of how to make your local Buy Nothing community even stronger!
February 24, 2024
I love Buy Nothing, and the concept that we can take care of our community with so many things we're not using/don't want. However, the authors are definitely writing from a Bainbridge Island perspective, so this book may not work for some.
The "buy nothing but food and prescriptions for a year or longer" life presumes that you have a lot of discretionary time (accordion fold all your potato sacks!), a safe middle class to wealthy neighborhood (you'll make friends and hang out at each other's houses and porch pickup is totally not the norm!), you're in a densely populated area, and are neurotypical (literally dozens of suggestions on organizational structures you'll need to reuse and manage clutter and junk because you reuse everything).
It assumes if you ask repeatedly you'll get the item you want (no one in my neighborhood is giving away Kitchen Aids or snow boards). It assumes you have a common clothing size and can easily get what you need from others. It assumes you don't need to make do with less for our planet and your own well-being. Heck, it assumes people actually show up, items are in good condition, and that donations will be wanted by artists/teachers/poor people.
The "buy nothing but food and prescriptions for a year or longer" life presumes that you have a lot of discretionary time (accordion fold all your potato sacks!), a safe middle class to wealthy neighborhood (you'll make friends and hang out at each other's houses and porch pickup is totally not the norm!), you're in a densely populated area, and are neurotypical (literally dozens of suggestions on organizational structures you'll need to reuse and manage clutter and junk because you reuse everything).
It assumes if you ask repeatedly you'll get the item you want (no one in my neighborhood is giving away Kitchen Aids or snow boards). It assumes you have a common clothing size and can easily get what you need from others. It assumes you don't need to make do with less for our planet and your own well-being. Heck, it assumes people actually show up, items are in good condition, and that donations will be wanted by artists/teachers/poor people.
August 17, 2020
I can’t believe a whole book was written on simple ideas around reducing what you buy (make your own laundry soap, how to reuse old sandwich bags, etc). If you believe in reducing consumption, and have any exposure to the internet these days, you already know 95% of what is in the book; if you don’t, the book is not going to convince you. The book was passed along to me via a local environmental FB group and after flipping through a few pages, I passed it along to someone else.
May 4, 2022
This took me forever to get through - over 2 years to finally finish. While I agree with a lot of the information, it got repetitive and could have been maybe half the length or less and still gotten the point across. This is all about sharing your excess and skills with others in your community and getting what you need for free from them. The book also discusses the impact of purchases on the environment. I love the idea behind this book and I think this can really work if you're in the right community, as it apparently has with the authors' community. Where I am? Not so much, I guess.
I did join my local Buy Nothing group on Facebook, expecting to find like-minded people and a way we could all share our excess with others. Of course I had stuff collecting dust in the basement and I'd love to see that being put to use! What I found were a few great people willing to share and a lot of people looking for freebies. I did give away quite a few things, but I quickly discovered not everyone shared the same attitudes. We had the woman who constantly asked for food, items for gifts for her kids and neighbors, even asking for others to supply her with all the fixings for cookouts on a regular basis. Oh, and you have to deliver it all to her too. (As an aside, my area has sooo many options for free food for those in need and many ask nothing in regard to proof of income but it does take minimal effort on the recipient's part.) And the woman who seemingly lived on Facebook and immediately asked for anything and everything as soon as it was posted, saying how it would be such a blessing to her and how she'd always wanted one of those... and then I saw a post from her looking for storage tubs and a shed (to store all the stuff she took, I'm assuming). Before I realized who she was, I gave her a few items and had to repeatedly ask if she was coming to get them after multiple noshows. I also was yelled at by a member who didn't get an item I offered up. I hated seeing the same few people get everything offered because they had the time to sit online and jump on offers right away so I gave away items by choosing randomly and that was apparently not okay with her. Or the people who wouldn't show up when they said they would. Yes, you can block the annoying people, but what really bugged me was the administration of the group. I'd often seen people asking for items for others and it wasn't an issue. On the occasions someone broke a rule, they were simply asked to remove the post or change the wording. I posted asking people to hold items back from their recycle bin (toilet paper and paper towel tubes, paper bags and boxes) and offered to collect them and take them to our county animal shelter for enrichment for the animals there. My post was immediately removed and I was blocked from posting or commenting with no explanation even though another post put up just before mine was basically an ad for another charity and stayed put. Seriously?! I messaged the admin pointing out the hypocrisy and quit the group before my banishment ended. I don't need someone on a power trip picking and choosing who can post what. The constant sob stories from people trying to one-up each other to get any particularly "good" items was getting really old anyway. A friend is in a different group (different neighborhood) in town and they have a lot of issues with people taking free stuff just to resell. I'm on the border of two neighborhood groups... the other group? Has the same admin as the one I was in. Members can be in only one group but apparently the rules don't apply to admins?
Thankfully, there's now an app that's not associated with Facebook though it does originate from the same people who started this, the authors. It's newer and doesn't have many local (to me) members so things move slowly, but at least it's an option without that BS and you can choose to see and offer to a wider geographical area as well. Maybe someday I'll live in an area where people are more interested in helping each other rather than just being out to line their own pockets. I'm now back to donating my excess items to a charity whose mission I am happy to support. If someone's going to make money off what I give freely, I'd rather it be them. If you do choose to use your own local Buy Nothing group, I'd suggest joining and sitting back and watching for a bit. It'll quickly be obvious who is sharing freely and who is just there to get freebies to hoard or resell. And know, you don't have to give to the first person who comments; it's your choice. I do think with the right community, this idea can work, but it doesn't work everywhere.
From reading this book, it seems the authors have more to do with the Facebook groups than I thought. It might be time to reign some things in or cut ties. I've also seen a lot of comments about the authors themselves that weren't so positive so I'd be hesitant to give money to them by buying this book. I mean, shouldn't a book about getting everything for free be FREE anyway? Why not put this out as a digital file and let people download it? Unless the profits are going to charity... which isn't mentioned as what's going on here. I guess my impression of this book/movement was really soured by my experiences in the group. I do peek at the app on occasion to see if there's an ask I can fulfill, but mostly I just donate.
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I did join my local Buy Nothing group on Facebook, expecting to find like-minded people and a way we could all share our excess with others. Of course I had stuff collecting dust in the basement and I'd love to see that being put to use! What I found were a few great people willing to share and a lot of people looking for freebies. I did give away quite a few things, but I quickly discovered not everyone shared the same attitudes. We had the woman who constantly asked for food, items for gifts for her kids and neighbors, even asking for others to supply her with all the fixings for cookouts on a regular basis. Oh, and you have to deliver it all to her too. (As an aside, my area has sooo many options for free food for those in need and many ask nothing in regard to proof of income but it does take minimal effort on the recipient's part.) And the woman who seemingly lived on Facebook and immediately asked for anything and everything as soon as it was posted, saying how it would be such a blessing to her and how she'd always wanted one of those... and then I saw a post from her looking for storage tubs and a shed (to store all the stuff she took, I'm assuming). Before I realized who she was, I gave her a few items and had to repeatedly ask if she was coming to get them after multiple noshows. I also was yelled at by a member who didn't get an item I offered up. I hated seeing the same few people get everything offered because they had the time to sit online and jump on offers right away so I gave away items by choosing randomly and that was apparently not okay with her. Or the people who wouldn't show up when they said they would. Yes, you can block the annoying people, but what really bugged me was the administration of the group. I'd often seen people asking for items for others and it wasn't an issue. On the occasions someone broke a rule, they were simply asked to remove the post or change the wording. I posted asking people to hold items back from their recycle bin (toilet paper and paper towel tubes, paper bags and boxes) and offered to collect them and take them to our county animal shelter for enrichment for the animals there. My post was immediately removed and I was blocked from posting or commenting with no explanation even though another post put up just before mine was basically an ad for another charity and stayed put. Seriously?! I messaged the admin pointing out the hypocrisy and quit the group before my banishment ended. I don't need someone on a power trip picking and choosing who can post what. The constant sob stories from people trying to one-up each other to get any particularly "good" items was getting really old anyway. A friend is in a different group (different neighborhood) in town and they have a lot of issues with people taking free stuff just to resell. I'm on the border of two neighborhood groups... the other group? Has the same admin as the one I was in. Members can be in only one group but apparently the rules don't apply to admins?
Thankfully, there's now an app that's not associated with Facebook though it does originate from the same people who started this, the authors. It's newer and doesn't have many local (to me) members so things move slowly, but at least it's an option without that BS and you can choose to see and offer to a wider geographical area as well. Maybe someday I'll live in an area where people are more interested in helping each other rather than just being out to line their own pockets. I'm now back to donating my excess items to a charity whose mission I am happy to support. If someone's going to make money off what I give freely, I'd rather it be them. If you do choose to use your own local Buy Nothing group, I'd suggest joining and sitting back and watching for a bit. It'll quickly be obvious who is sharing freely and who is just there to get freebies to hoard or resell. And know, you don't have to give to the first person who comments; it's your choice. I do think with the right community, this idea can work, but it doesn't work everywhere.
From reading this book, it seems the authors have more to do with the Facebook groups than I thought. It might be time to reign some things in or cut ties. I've also seen a lot of comments about the authors themselves that weren't so positive so I'd be hesitant to give money to them by buying this book. I mean, shouldn't a book about getting everything for free be FREE anyway? Why not put this out as a digital file and let people download it? Unless the profits are going to charity... which isn't mentioned as what's going on here. I guess my impression of this book/movement was really soured by my experiences in the group. I do peek at the app on occasion to see if there's an ask I can fulfill, but mostly I just donate.
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 25, 2025
This was a really interesting read! My biggest takeaway was the fact that we can share big things! Not everyone needs EVERY THING. Communities and neighborhoods can and should share what they have! Can you imagine if there was one or two lawn mowers in a neighborhood that everyone shared? Idk, that was kind of eye opening to me. In this day and age it seems like everyone wants to have what everyone else has for themselves, but it doesn’t have to be that way at all.
January 6, 2024
I like the idea behind this book. It’s definitely allowed me to view things from a different perspective in many ways. Some of the suggestions they gave were not very realistic in my opinion, and there was a lot of repetition (it could have been a lot shorter) but overall the intention is good.
September 29, 2021
Rezensionsexemplar
Ein wirklich schönes Büchlein, dass uns einen Weg in ein Nachhaltiges, Müllsparendes und Konsumfreies Leben zeigt.
Es gibt unglaublich viele Möglichkeiten an Dinge zu kommen, die man gerne haben möchte, ohne sie Neu zu kaufen.
Denn wenn man sich einmal vorstellt, dass viele Haushalte und Familien alles mögliche an Dingen anhäufen und irgendwann wieder wegwerfen, kommt eine unglaublich große Menge an Müll und Plastik zusammen die unsere Umwelt verschmutzt. Voraussichtlich wird es bis 2050 mehr Plastik als Fisch in unseren Ozeanen geben!
So ist es doch sinnvoller nach den Sachen in seinem Umfeld zu fragen. Vielleicht hat jemand das benötigte und braucht es selbst nicht mehr.
So kann man Facebook Gruppen erstellen in denen man zu verschenkende Sachen anbietet oder auch bekommt. Oder zu allererst, die Idee, in deinem Familien und Bekanntenkreis weiter geben oder eben auf der Arbeit. Mit etwas Glück entsteht so eine Schenk Ökonomie.
Und so spart man nicht nur Müll und Ressourcen, sondern hat auch die Möglichkeit neue Bekanntschaften und Freundschaften zu knüpfen. Die schönsten Sachen können so passieren. Was voher vielleicht nicht möglich gewesen wäre.
Das Buch zeigt uns in 7 Schritten wie wir es, in so ein Leben und Miteinander schaffen können und bietet dabei eine Menge Anleitungen, Ideen und Rezepte. Welche Sachen man Recyceln, reparieren, verleihen, teilen und schenken kann und das man aber auch um Sachen bitten darf.
Die Möglichkeiten sind schier unendlich. Jeder hat etwas das er geben kann und wenn es seine Zeit oder Hilfe ist oder etwas worin man besonders gut ist.
Für mich ein sehr inspirierendes und motivierendes Buch an seinen Denkweisen zu arbeiten und vlt. in kleinen Schritten etwas zu ändern und zu verbessern.
Ein wirklich schönes Büchlein, dass uns einen Weg in ein Nachhaltiges, Müllsparendes und Konsumfreies Leben zeigt.
Es gibt unglaublich viele Möglichkeiten an Dinge zu kommen, die man gerne haben möchte, ohne sie Neu zu kaufen.
Denn wenn man sich einmal vorstellt, dass viele Haushalte und Familien alles mögliche an Dingen anhäufen und irgendwann wieder wegwerfen, kommt eine unglaublich große Menge an Müll und Plastik zusammen die unsere Umwelt verschmutzt. Voraussichtlich wird es bis 2050 mehr Plastik als Fisch in unseren Ozeanen geben!
So ist es doch sinnvoller nach den Sachen in seinem Umfeld zu fragen. Vielleicht hat jemand das benötigte und braucht es selbst nicht mehr.
So kann man Facebook Gruppen erstellen in denen man zu verschenkende Sachen anbietet oder auch bekommt. Oder zu allererst, die Idee, in deinem Familien und Bekanntenkreis weiter geben oder eben auf der Arbeit. Mit etwas Glück entsteht so eine Schenk Ökonomie.
Und so spart man nicht nur Müll und Ressourcen, sondern hat auch die Möglichkeit neue Bekanntschaften und Freundschaften zu knüpfen. Die schönsten Sachen können so passieren. Was voher vielleicht nicht möglich gewesen wäre.
Das Buch zeigt uns in 7 Schritten wie wir es, in so ein Leben und Miteinander schaffen können und bietet dabei eine Menge Anleitungen, Ideen und Rezepte. Welche Sachen man Recyceln, reparieren, verleihen, teilen und schenken kann und das man aber auch um Sachen bitten darf.
Die Möglichkeiten sind schier unendlich. Jeder hat etwas das er geben kann und wenn es seine Zeit oder Hilfe ist oder etwas worin man besonders gut ist.
Für mich ein sehr inspirierendes und motivierendes Buch an seinen Denkweisen zu arbeiten und vlt. in kleinen Schritten etwas zu ändern und zu verbessern.
March 25, 2020
Firstly, a huge thank you to Atria Books (and the authors, of course) for the advanced copy!
Backstory: I started on a zero waste journey less than a year ago. It took a while for me to realize that zero waste ties into plastic-free which ties into minimalism (duh). After that lightbulb moment, I proceeded to read any and every book I could on all of those subjects. All were well written and enjoyable, but none were groundbreaking. This one was different.
This book, man. I found myself practicing what was preached right away. A dozen or so pages in and I didn't want to go shopping for the sake of shopping, as I'm known to do. I also realized that I have partaken in Buy Nothing without noticing: that clothes swap I did with friends five years ago, those sprouting potatoes that I planted, those books I borrowed or gave away, that butter dish I refused to buy because I wanted to find a "new to me" one and just can't seem to do so, so I still don't have a buter dish...and I think that's cool Buy Nothing had a place in my life without me even noticing.
In short, this book was awesome. It was informative. The stories were heartwarming. The firsthand experience was very useful. The lists were great. No matter where you are on any journey, whether it be zero waste, plastic-free, buy nothing, or a combo, this is a great resource.
Backstory: I started on a zero waste journey less than a year ago. It took a while for me to realize that zero waste ties into plastic-free which ties into minimalism (duh). After that lightbulb moment, I proceeded to read any and every book I could on all of those subjects. All were well written and enjoyable, but none were groundbreaking. This one was different.
This book, man. I found myself practicing what was preached right away. A dozen or so pages in and I didn't want to go shopping for the sake of shopping, as I'm known to do. I also realized that I have partaken in Buy Nothing without noticing: that clothes swap I did with friends five years ago, those sprouting potatoes that I planted, those books I borrowed or gave away, that butter dish I refused to buy because I wanted to find a "new to me" one and just can't seem to do so, so I still don't have a buter dish...and I think that's cool Buy Nothing had a place in my life without me even noticing.
In short, this book was awesome. It was informative. The stories were heartwarming. The firsthand experience was very useful. The lists were great. No matter where you are on any journey, whether it be zero waste, plastic-free, buy nothing, or a combo, this is a great resource.
December 16, 2020
Even though I’m an administrator for my local Buy Nothing group, this book made me feel mildly anxious that the planet is dying because plastic plastic everywhere and I’m not doing enough and I should stop using Saranwrap and make my own food covering out of old shirts and wax. And then I think, who are these women that they have time to make all this homemade stuff and feel smug about it in their nice Bainbridge Island homes? And then I felt annoyed.
February 15, 2023
Книгу було цікаво читати, багато реальних історій, хоча з багатьма пунктами я не погоджуюсь. Вразили дослідження і статистика щодо пластику на планеті і сміття загалом. Звісно, я про це чула, але ніколи так детально не досліджувала цю тему.
Записала кілька корисних порад, які обов’язково використовуватиму:
- Мати в кожній сумці/рюкзаку тканинну торбинку на випадок непланованих покупок
- Ходити зі своєю термочашкою, аби не брати паперові стаканчики в кафетеріях
- Носити контейнер в ресторан аби не загортати залишки їжі в одноразові контейнери
- З сирих обрізок овочів і м’яса, які залишаються після готування - варити бульйон для майбутніх супів
- Обов’язково придбати полотняні пакетики для овочів
Записала кілька корисних порад, які обов’язково використовуватиму:
- Мати в кожній сумці/рюкзаку тканинну торбинку на випадок непланованих покупок
- Ходити зі своєю термочашкою, аби не брати паперові стаканчики в кафетеріях
- Носити контейнер в ресторан аби не загортати залишки їжі в одноразові контейнери
- З сирих обрізок овочів і м’яса, які залишаються після готування - варити бульйон для майбутніх супів
- Обов’язково придбати полотняні пакетики для овочів
June 9, 2025
This book is very well intentioned, and I love being a part of my community’s buy-nothing group, but I feel like this book was written for someone who is VERY new to environmentally conscious ideas (avoiding plastics, buying secondhand, etc.) - which is not me. I found the chapters to be very repetitive, and long drawn. Just ok!
March 23, 2021
Loved it! Very inspiring with lots of good practical tips. A great call to stop consuming and get making!
January 16, 2024
First book of 2024! I enjoyed this book and got a lot of great ideas on how to buy less and borrow or share more. Will get your eco-friendly brain spinning
August 29, 2020
A great concept, but harder to do. :)
September 21, 2025
Admittedly was more background noise in audiobook form because lots of lists BUT did put a pep in my step to clear out some stuff so extra star for sparking that back up!
May 24, 2022
I rate this book for the movement and community it describes and not particularly for the writing.
April 28, 2020
To begin, I want to thank Atria books for the advanced readers copy of this book. Secondly, I feel like this book provides much needed guidance on how to reduce waste and slow consumerism in your daily life. I have worked to make changes for several years now but I still felt challenged by the ideas discussed in the book and inspired by the many lists of methods to try. There was a good balance between explanation of each idea and practical ways to implement it. I would love if there was a worksheet to help track following the ideas or challenges they give in the book.
The most interesting part, personally, was the idea that we are targeted to consume because there is a feeling of self reliance and independence that is built from owning everything we could ever need. If everyone does this, we isolate ourselves from each other and end up spending more money and creating more waste in the long run. It also keeps us from feeling or showing vulnerability in our community which takes away a means to connect to those around us over basic human emotions. It is easy to strive to be “an island all our own” but what does it cost us in the long run? Definitely challenged my motivations and issues surrounding my desire to consume. I definitely recommend everyone read this and start challenging your relationship with your stuff and potentially the lack of relationship with your community.
The most interesting part, personally, was the idea that we are targeted to consume because there is a feeling of self reliance and independence that is built from owning everything we could ever need. If everyone does this, we isolate ourselves from each other and end up spending more money and creating more waste in the long run. It also keeps us from feeling or showing vulnerability in our community which takes away a means to connect to those around us over basic human emotions. It is easy to strive to be “an island all our own” but what does it cost us in the long run? Definitely challenged my motivations and issues surrounding my desire to consume. I definitely recommend everyone read this and start challenging your relationship with your stuff and potentially the lack of relationship with your community.
April 20, 2021
This book includes lots of basic ideas for low-waste living that the target audience will already be familiar with, and has a strong anti-capitalist bent that will make it less appealing to many readers, including me, who are interested in cultivating more sustainable lives without being told that buying and selling is horrible and destructive. However, this book is worthwhile and unique because of the ideas and inspiration that the authors provide for cultivating a community where people can share and give items without strings attached.
The authors show how people can meet each other's needs through in-person and online groups where they can ask for help, offer up items that they no longer want, and connect people with resources that they need. This book includes inspiring stories about people whose experiences in groups like these changed their lives, and the stories are genuinely moving, not just advertisement for the authors' cause.
I ended up skimming through this book, because I was already familiar with a lot of the material, and other parts were very preachy. Still, I enjoyed the meaningful stories, and I would encourage people who are interested in the topic to give this a try, dipping into the parts that they would find most inspiring or helpful. However, if someone is looking for detailed advice and troubleshooting for how to operate a sharing group in their community, they should know that this book is mostly aspirational, and does not get into the weeds of how you can moderate a group and deal with the various challenges that will inevitably arise.
I wish that the authors had addressed common issues or complaints. I understand that they want to inspire people, not scare them off, but most of us have been in online groups and know how quickly they can go off the rails. The authors take an overly rosy view of human nature, as if humans are perfect and only capitalism is the problem, instead of recognizing how humans can create amazing things and corrupt and destroy them. I would have appreciated acknowledgement of common concerns, and there are lots of issues that the authors could have provided practical advice for.
For example, how do you handle safety issues? If multiple people request an item you've offered, do you give it to the first person who asked, or the person who you think has the greatest need? What do you do when someone keeps taking nice items for free just to sell them? How do you handle moderating the group when people argue or create controversy? Do you ever vet people's sob stories or requests at any level to make sure that a requester is legitimate, and not trying to scam others for money or valuable items? There are lots of different issues that can arise in groups like these, and I wish that the authors had addressed them, instead of only offering inspiration.
The authors show how people can meet each other's needs through in-person and online groups where they can ask for help, offer up items that they no longer want, and connect people with resources that they need. This book includes inspiring stories about people whose experiences in groups like these changed their lives, and the stories are genuinely moving, not just advertisement for the authors' cause.
I ended up skimming through this book, because I was already familiar with a lot of the material, and other parts were very preachy. Still, I enjoyed the meaningful stories, and I would encourage people who are interested in the topic to give this a try, dipping into the parts that they would find most inspiring or helpful. However, if someone is looking for detailed advice and troubleshooting for how to operate a sharing group in their community, they should know that this book is mostly aspirational, and does not get into the weeds of how you can moderate a group and deal with the various challenges that will inevitably arise.
I wish that the authors had addressed common issues or complaints. I understand that they want to inspire people, not scare them off, but most of us have been in online groups and know how quickly they can go off the rails. The authors take an overly rosy view of human nature, as if humans are perfect and only capitalism is the problem, instead of recognizing how humans can create amazing things and corrupt and destroy them. I would have appreciated acknowledgement of common concerns, and there are lots of issues that the authors could have provided practical advice for.
For example, how do you handle safety issues? If multiple people request an item you've offered, do you give it to the first person who asked, or the person who you think has the greatest need? What do you do when someone keeps taking nice items for free just to sell them? How do you handle moderating the group when people argue or create controversy? Do you ever vet people's sob stories or requests at any level to make sure that a requester is legitimate, and not trying to scam others for money or valuable items? There are lots of different issues that can arise in groups like these, and I wish that the authors had addressed them, instead of only offering inspiration.
January 13, 2020
The premise of the Buy Nothing Project is that we cannot only save money and reduce waste by sharing freely with others, but we can also regain a sense of community that has been lost in many urban places. At the heart, this project is about "gift economies" and how giving and asking for what we need binds people together socially, where as goods exchanged for money divide people and are based on economies of scarcity. A gift economy, the authors argue, is based on abundance. We already have more than enough to go around.
I'm not sure if this book is for people who already love the Buy Nothing Project and who participate on Buy Nothing Facebook groups (like myself), or if it is for people who have never heard of it. The book does a great job explaining the power of gift economies and shows how we can actually get to know our neighbors again and support each other. It shows how we can save little and large items from going to landfills.
The book is weaker when it becomes a "listicle" and lists 50 things you can do to reduce waste and buy less. These long lists distract from the more powerful stories throughout and would have done better by being attached at the end as appendices. I found myself getting irritated reading about how I could make my own deodorant and my own yogurt. Practical ideas are great, but a list this long is just exhausting.
Even with its missteps, the philosophical core of this book is worth the time to read it. In my own Buy Nothing experience, I gave much a needed breastfeeding pillow to a new mom who could barely walk because birth was so recent. I had a woman come with her daughter to gather mulberry leaves from my tree to feed to the silkworm the daughter had brought home from school to care for for the weekend. I've shared lemons when my tree is overflowing with fruit. And I got a tractor-trailer tricycle that I put out as a gift from Santa for my children that they were so excited about that we went for a ride/walk around the neighborhood on Christmas morning. The Buy Nothing project is successful because it isn't just about stuff. It is about relationships with people who live right next to you and within a few blocks.
This book is not about decluttering or minimalism like some others you have read. It's not (just) about saving the earth. It's not (just) about spending less money. You can be a maximalist and into Buy Nothing, as the authors point out. This book is really about sharing, about the power of giving and asking for what you want. And this book is about gratitude. Isn't that what we could all use a little of in the new year?
Many thanks to Atria Books for the advanced copy of this book.
I'm not sure if this book is for people who already love the Buy Nothing Project and who participate on Buy Nothing Facebook groups (like myself), or if it is for people who have never heard of it. The book does a great job explaining the power of gift economies and shows how we can actually get to know our neighbors again and support each other. It shows how we can save little and large items from going to landfills.
The book is weaker when it becomes a "listicle" and lists 50 things you can do to reduce waste and buy less. These long lists distract from the more powerful stories throughout and would have done better by being attached at the end as appendices. I found myself getting irritated reading about how I could make my own deodorant and my own yogurt. Practical ideas are great, but a list this long is just exhausting.
Even with its missteps, the philosophical core of this book is worth the time to read it. In my own Buy Nothing experience, I gave much a needed breastfeeding pillow to a new mom who could barely walk because birth was so recent. I had a woman come with her daughter to gather mulberry leaves from my tree to feed to the silkworm the daughter had brought home from school to care for for the weekend. I've shared lemons when my tree is overflowing with fruit. And I got a tractor-trailer tricycle that I put out as a gift from Santa for my children that they were so excited about that we went for a ride/walk around the neighborhood on Christmas morning. The Buy Nothing project is successful because it isn't just about stuff. It is about relationships with people who live right next to you and within a few blocks.
This book is not about decluttering or minimalism like some others you have read. It's not (just) about saving the earth. It's not (just) about spending less money. You can be a maximalist and into Buy Nothing, as the authors point out. This book is really about sharing, about the power of giving and asking for what you want. And this book is about gratitude. Isn't that what we could all use a little of in the new year?
Many thanks to Atria Books for the advanced copy of this book.
July 23, 2021
A lot of the tips seemed like behaviors poverty taught me and what we had going in collectivist societies compared to individualism in the US. The book goes into great depth to share countless creative ways to reduce and reuse before recycling things. I definitely enjoyed the emphasis on building trust, developing relationships and creating a sense of community through sharing things and experiences. Glad I read this to understand the popularity of all the buy nothing Facebook groups which came in handy when we moved and needed to pass on SOOO many things.
February 3, 2021
This whole book could've been a blog post.
Also many of the suggestions are illogical or ineffective. Next is the issue of forcing already established No Buy communities online to split because they had become too large, and then insist the split happen over racial and socio-economic divides. Additionally, Liesl Clark admits to stealing her information from Tribes from Nepal....then proceeds to sell this information to her own profit. Can't say that sits well with me.
Also many of the suggestions are illogical or ineffective. Next is the issue of forcing already established No Buy communities online to split because they had become too large, and then insist the split happen over racial and socio-economic divides. Additionally, Liesl Clark admits to stealing her information from Tribes from Nepal....then proceeds to sell this information to her own profit. Can't say that sits well with me.
October 29, 2020
This book had a lot of good reminders but nothing really new. The same information is in the Book of Acts and the old editions of The Tightwad Gazette from the ‘90’s. In my opinion The Tightwad Gazette is more fun to read 😊
Nevertheless, it was not bad and all of us need encouragement to spend less and share more.
Nevertheless, it was not bad and all of us need encouragement to spend less and share more.
March 4, 2020
This is excellent and should be read by everyone. As a long time minimalist, this resonated with me. There are great ideas and helpful info here. Hopefully my enthusiasm is enough of an endorsement.
I'm so happy I got a review copy!! Thanks.
I'm so happy I got a review copy!! Thanks.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews