01.Food sharing
The concept of community sharing has picked up steam in recent years and taken a grassroots approach to meeting consumer demands.
Sometimes, buying new doesn’t make sense, especially when you can get what you need for next to nothing and give it back when you’re done. Whether it’s a car, chainsaw or even a chicken, someone out there is likely to have one handy. We explore this exciting trend.
In this article, we take a look at:
You'll also find a list of handy consumer sharing resources.
For more information about Shopping, see Shopping and legal.
Food
Food is one of our biggest expenses, especially if you are after sustainable, chemical-free produce.
Biological Farmers of Australia reports that we now spend around a billion dollars each year on organic food alone.
In other countries, such as the US, people even buy into goat-sharing schemes. These give you part ownership of an animal for access to the fresh produce such as milk and cheese.
For these reasons and more, many Australians are rethinking the humble vegie garden, and with the help of sharing resource websites, savvy local groups are organising to swap, share or give away their extra home-grown food. It’s fresh, organic and efficient, and it can save you money.
Closer to home, at least one national operator allows keen backyard farmers to rent a chook, which is basically a “try before you buy” chicken service.
Interested would-be urban farmers will find an enormous amount of info searching, even if you only have a small space to utilise or no previous experience.
There are also a number of community shared gardens and neighbourhood groups offering food co-ops, and again you can start looking in our resource section.
Benefits
- Growing and sharing food can save you hundreds annually at the checkout.
- You will produce fewer emissions thanks to reduced or minimal transport costs, and composting can reduce household waste.
- Enjoy fresh, delicious food that is grown without harsh chemicals.