7 Platforms for Sustainable Sharing in Canberra
We all want to do our bit for the planet. What we don’t often realise, is the ecological impact of the things we purchase day to day. How many of us end up buying more household items, clothes and toys than we really need? During isolation, many have us have realised how much unnecessary “stuff” we have. With many people clearing out their homes, sheds and gardens with their newfound spare time, landfill sites have been busier than usual.
By shifting our perspective about what we really need to bring into our homes, as well as equipping ourselves with the knowledge of the sharing economy in Canberra, our community can make a huge reduction in consumption, and ensure that quality items don’t end up in landfill.
Here are a list of 7 ways your unwanted furniture, clothing, tools, gadgets and more can be recycled within your local community. Likewise, before buying something new, think about whether you can locally source it from any of these groups. This way, you not only save money, but you reduce packaging, energy used in manufacuring and to transport and, ultimately, landfill.
Buy Nothing. On Facebook, there are neighbourhood Buy Nothing groups. These are hyper-local communities in which members can give away, lend or share items. You can request free items or loans as well. No money or swaps are permitted.
Urban Homesteading. Also on Facebook, The Urban Homesteading Club (Canberra and Surrounds) provides a forum for people interested in sustainable lifestyles e.g. growing fruit and vegetables, keeping chooks, bees or other livestock, composting etc. Members exchange advice and ideas with each other as well as trades of fruit and vegetables and garden stuff.
Free Online Marketplaces. Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace are great for buying and selling used or surplus stuff locally. People can also offer items for free, especially on Gumtree which has a category called Freebies.
Canberra Freecycle. offers residents the opportunity to advertise to give away or ask for free items. It works a little bit like a Buy Nothing group, but is less localised.
Op Shops. Of course, there are the opportunity shops such as the Salvation Army, Vinnies and Red Cross. Unfortunately, these charities have to spend enormous sums each year getting rid of rubbish that people leave them. Before donating clothes or other items, ask yourself “Would I give this to someone I care about?” to reduce the load on these organisations.
GIVIT. If you want to support those in tough circumstances more directly, you can advertise your free items on GIVIT. GIVIT works with local charities to list people’s specific needs for items, so you know when you give something it goes directly into the hands of someone who really needs it. There is currently a COVID-19 appeal for items that will help people struggling from the pandemic get by.
Not only do these groups allow you to save money and divert waste, they also provide an opportunity to connect with your neighbours and local community memebers, which we think is an essential element of creating a sustainable future.
While Canberra is leading in many ways as a sustainable city, overconsumption makes up a huge chunk of our environmental impact. Canberra enjoys the position of having one of the lowest unemployment rates and highest average wages in Australia, but this in turn means we’re big consumers. Getting involved in local sharing economies shows us that much of what we need already exists, and can be shared freely amongst the community, without having to buy brand new.