2009-11-16

The item that inspired it all

I just added my Osprey backpack to my inventory on NeighborGoods!

"So what, Micki? You're sharing 67 items right now. What makes this one so special?"

Thanks for asking! This is the item that inspired the creation of NeighborGoods in the first place! Of course, I've been interested in community and sustainability for forever but this object is the thing that really got me thinking about a service to help people buy and own less stuff. A few years ago, I was getting ready to go to Southeast Asia for a month. I needed one of these backpacks. I knew I was likely to only use the thing once so I asked around but I wasn't able to locate one to borrow. I ended up spending over $200 for a backpack I knew I would only use once!

Examples like this kept popping up for me and I thought there must be a better way to get access to stuff than just buying it. We all own the same crap. How many lawn mowers do we need on every block?

How many lawn mowers are there on your block? Do you have a backpack like mine? Add it to your inventory and share it with your neighbors! Invite some folks to check out your inventory while you're at it!