It all started way back in preschool, or maybe even earlier if you have siblings. Learning to share is a lifelong discipline we practice every day.
Roads, libraries, cars and homes are all shared with others, often reasonably happily, but what about our toys?
We may assume children are the only ones who have a hard time with this, and many of us adults even consider ourselves generous with our belongings. But in this world of overconsumption, there are clearly many of us who are forgetting our grade-school lessons.
In today’s economy, the bottom line is motivating people to collaborate on purchases and share resources like we have not seen in decades. Land cooperatives are making it possible to own property where it would otherwise be impossible. And, at a small scale, there are tool libraries cropping up everywhere.
Metropolises such as Vancouver have adopted this concept with great success. Operating similar to book libraries, members sign out tools for projects and then return them, all for a low annual fee of around $45, and rental fees from “free” to $5 for tools.
Tools are often more industrial quality and maintained by volunteers and staff. Organizations can even become members, for a higher fee.
There are also food buying cooperatives that get bulk organics to outlying communities such as ours for a more reasonable cost than going it alone. Online, there are even clothes sharing sites for dress up events. Users can choose from runway options for rental prices.
The options for collaboration are truly boundless.
This summer, you might think about going in on buying something with friends or family. How about sharing a camper, boat, sports equipment, garden tools or vacation home?
Sharing our resources does require a little more coordination of schedules, but it can also mean higher quality playthings at a lower cost.
At the most basic level, we all share one planet. When it comes to Mother Earth, sharing is caring. Sharing reduces the need to mine for more resources and emit polluting greenhouse gases to run the fires of industry.
Start this summer off right and offer to share your sandbox with others.
Let’s Talk Trash is qathet Regional District’s waste-reduction education program.
