Do you really need a drill? Or just a hole?
There is too much stuff...
And let’s face it, we usually don’t want the stuff, we just want what the stuff does. For example, you want a hole in your wall so you buy a drill – but you didn’t really want a drill that might end up sitting unused in your toolbox for the next twenty years – you just wanted a hole. To get the hole without buying a drill, you could borrow or rent a drill.
One of our ten basic sustainability tips is to buy and use less stuff. Reducing the amount of stuff we own, saves the energy and natural resources that would have gone into manufacturing something new and the emissions that would have been generated in the process.
But how do you find someone with a drill? If you know your neighbour has a one, that’s great, you could ask to borrow it. If not, there are websites growing around the world that encourage the sharing of resources. Websites such as Hire Things (www.hirethings.co.nz) offer people a platform to share within their community. There are many things that you only use occasionally and there are many people who own those things that you could rent from. Not everyone needs to own a lawnmower, a tent or a power drill.
By sharing resources in this way can we can increase the value of the things we own, reconnect with our community, reduce our impact on the environment as well as making and saving money.
Sharing resources is a socially responsible choice that will have significant impact on the world we leave our children. Small changes by lots of people can make a big difference.
Posted by Michael Lockhart on 8th February, 2010 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks
Tags: General Sustainability
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And white goods...
I often think about white goods like this - fridges, freezers, ovens etc. They're huge, bulky things which are a real pain to buy or dispose of. Most people will get the delivery men to take their old one away when a new one os delivered, but wouldn't it be great if all these old, but working, white goods were somehow "recycled" within the community and sold or given to those less fortunate. Less landfill. And a benefit to the community.
Posted on 3 March, 2010 by Richard @ Eco Living Advice
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