Why buy when you can borrow?

It seems we are all a little too caught up in consumerism. Needing the newest model phone or adding a new appliance to the collection. I, like most people, have too much stuff. Some of it is invaluable but some of it is collecting dust. Libraries are a perfect example of how we can borrow rather than buy, only in rare cases do I read a book more than once, so borrowing is perfect. I can grab a new novel, a cookbook or learn a new language!

A plethora of resources! (image © kippa2001)

I recently heard about a website where people share things in the community, for example, I might need a drill to use once, rather than buy one I can use this site to see if anyone in my local area has one. This saves us money but also reduces the amount of stuff created which helps the environment. On the topic of saving money, there are other great websites where you can get things your local area for free including freecycle or cheap such as gumtree or craigslist. Maybe you're wondering, why bother when you can get new things so cheaply? Well one example is shown by this article demonstrating how fashion companies are polluting waterways with dye for fabric. We don't *need* new clothing when so much already exists. Next time you're thinking of purchasing something, why not try your local library, thrift store or have a look at these websites first to see if you can't reduce your environmental impact.