The borrowers

It's a perennial source of dismay to me how much of modern society is driven by the fetishisation of ownership (books and CDs are fine, mind...). In a nutshell, we all have too much unnecessary stuff - a consequence of rampant consumerism.

So it's refreshing to see that Wales is attempting to buck that trend and provide an antidote in the form of Benthyg Cymru, an organisation that has established a national network of "libraries of things". Why buy something you only occasionally use when, for a fraction of the cost, you can simply borrow it?

In this article for the Progress Playbook, co-founder and director Becky Harford explains how it works and the principles that stand behind it. While each library is very much a local community enterprise, collectively they are seen as "part of a much bigger shift" - building "social fabric" and taking vital steps "towards an economy that works for people and planet, not just profit".