From the Land of Song to the Land of Sharing

Everyone in Wales should feel a personal sense of pride that Wales is second in the world for recycling; we’re not passive bystanders to this achievement, we’re the people who have made this important work happen.  Every time you rinse a container before putting into the correct bag or take something to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) you – yes you! - are part of a trailblazing shift towards a greener planet.

But we all know that recycling is the tip of the iceberg, or to put it another way, the middle of the waste hierarchy, and what we really need to do is reduce the amount of stuff we consume in the first place.  

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There are a few things we can all do in order to reduce the amount of waste we produce – consider whether we really need that shiny new thing we saw online; try to reuse what we already have; and share what we can with our communities.  At Benthyg Cymru, we’re passionate about the concept of sharing as a way we can all be kinder to the planet and save ourselves some cash.

Libraries of Things have started appearing all over the world in recent years, and as with recycling, Wales is proving itself as a pioneer in showing what we can do as a nation when we all take individual responsibility.

There over 30 Libraries of Things you can borrow from this week in the Benthyg Cymru network! They offer a huge range of items to borrow cheaply from tents to pressure washers, and air fryers to hedge trimmers.

RE:MAKE Newport includes one of those Libraries of Things and is celebrating its fourth anniversary this October.  This visionary space includes regular repair cafes, where volunteers fix items for free, and a library of things, where people frequently borrow donated items such as DIY and gardening equipment at low cost, as well as cleaning product refills and skill-sharing workshops.  Importantly, it also features a seating area and pay-as-you-feel refreshments which ensure the space feels welcoming and inclusive. Between October 2021 and July 2025, RE:MAKE Newport has recorded over 4,900 borrows, saving its community over £57,000 and an estimated 29 tonnes of carbon, not to mention a whole novel’s worth of heartwarming stories from people whose lives have been made easier, cheaper or friendlier by the existence of this space.

While we all face spiralling household bills and climate anxiety, places like RE:MAKE Newport seem like a no-brainer. Making the most of resources in our homes and communities, whether that’s sharing a hedge trimmer or finding a neighbour who can sew a new zip into a winter coat, feels like something we should have been doing all along and certainly need to be doing now.  

The Benthyg Cymru network of Libraries of Things is growing every week as new communities set up their own version.  Our aim is to make borrowing as normal and easy as popping out for a loaf of bread, and just like recycling, this will only happen with individuals taking action every day by choosing to reduce their consumption and try a different wat instead.

Libraries of Things in Wales stand ready to help communities start their borrowing journeys today, so next time you’re about to buy something, think about whether you can #BenthygIt instead and go show your local Library of Things some love.

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Borrow something: How to borrow

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