SUSTAINABILITY
LIFE IS A GIFT Life is a gift (LIAG) is a gift economy founded in 2011 on Facebook, with around 21,000 members in its Cambridgeshire groups. It was created to enable as many people as possible to gift items, skills and related information to one another. It is similar to the global organisation Freecycle, except it is more personal, with an open community feel. Unlike some circular economy models, LIAG does not permit the exchange of money; inspired by different gift economies, it allows members to make offers and requests for gifts, encouraging generosity and for people to feel comfortable with asking for what they want in a non-judgemental atmosphere. “Life is a gift is one of the most direct examples of a circular economy, because item transfer is not impeded by lack of money, so things can happen very quickly for anyone able to collect an item (or have it delivered),”
TRANSFER OF ITEMS IS NOT IMPEDED BY LACK OF MONEY
LIAG member Hannah. “Our family was hit by Covid-19 and my partner was very unwell, leaving me ill, trapped in the house and looking after a baby, with two other children. Without Life is a gift, we would have had no presents, food, or any kind of Christmas, but with all the wonderful generosity, visits and gifts from strangers, we were truly blessed!” More recently, Life is a gift has responded to the Ukraine crisis: “A lovely Polish lady was collecting dog food for Ukraine,” shares Celine. “I, and others, donated – she let us know when it was on its way.” The resourceful methods in which members have used the group demonstrates that these initiatives do much more than reduce waste; they provide a life-giving source of community. Join Life is a gift on Facebook by searching for Life is a gift + your electoral ward or local area, eg Cambridge City, Arbury, St Ives/ Huntingdon. To discover all Life is a gift groups, search for the page Lifeisagift
explains co-founder Nick Stibbs. “It keeps items out of landfill, encourages decluttering of living and storage spaces, and saves on production and transport costs in the wider economy, freeing people’s money to use for other things. It also reduces reliance on government and NGO grants for household items.” Not only does LIAG reduce waste, but it also strengthens bonds in the local community. During the pandemic, it served as a means of connecting people when self-isolation rules made it difficult to fetch provisions. “I reached out in December of 2020 after having just had a baby,” says
The UK is the second-biggest producer of e-waste on the planet. By repairing a laptop rather than buying new, you can save 165kg of greenhouse gases – the same as a flight from London to Berlin! EVERY LITTLE HELPS
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JUNE 2022 65
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