What's mine is yours: share if you care and dare. IKEA, one of the biggest brick-and-mortar retailers in the world, announced they will start a pilot this month on leasing your furniture. This is another sign that the sharing economy is growing enormously.
Harmen van Sprang, Founder of ShareNL, shared his insights on this and other developments on the Dutch national radio station.
Ask yourself this:
How much of your stuff are you not using [enough]? How often do you buy something that you will barely use? How bad is this for the environment? And what can you do to change that?Sharing is Caring
For the youngest generations, it is hard to imagine a world without Airbnb and Uber. Although the concepts seem practical, fun, the idea they’re based on has an underlying message: we have too much stuff. Sustainability is more than windmills, electric cars, and recyclable straws. There is much more to win, especially in what we use and produce, which is nothing short of simply too much.Welcome to the sharing economy. On the one hand, it enables us to use products that otherwise would be left unused for 50% of the time. On the other hand, it prevents consumers from buying the exact same product and leaving that unused as well. It is supposed to drive down consumption and therefore production. There is no need to explain to you why that is better for the environment.
A Better Way of Business
As for IKEA, the idea is that when your leasing period is over, you hand your furniture back and you might lease something else. IKEA could then revamp the items before they are sold again. That process could extend the life of the products and give consumers more flexibility with their existing decor.There are countless ways to give shape to the sharing economy for businesses in any market. This new way of consuming offers chances across all markets, because it is also a new business model. If the sharing economy would solely depend on borrowing and lending, then it would be called the sharing society. Thus, it is a Win-Win-Win situation: for consumers, businesses and last but not least: our planet.
Want to work towards a better tomorrow?
Harmen van Sprang and Pieter van de Glind [ShareNL] will give you all insights why you need to start sharing today. Make a change with these global experts on sharing economy and sharing platforms.Both speakers are speakers with The Power to Inspire committed to the values of Assemblee Speakers. We are very proud that we can connect them with your event!
Contact our Assemblee team today for the best advice or more information. Send an email to info@assembleespeakers.com or call +31 43 343 21 69 to ensure that your next event will be most successful.
