From the rise of the hybrid car to Al Gore's crusade against climate change, awareness toward environmentalism has come a long way in the past decade.  Even kids are getting schooled in sustainability as Sesame Street celebrates its 40th anniversary today, unveiling a two-year environmental curriculum dedicated to being green.  But as much progress that's been made on the education front, there's still much to be done on the solution side.  It's not easy.  This global crisis is so gnarly, it sometimes feels impossible to untangle ourselves from the mess we're in.  The issues are staggering -- water shortage, gasoline dependence, pollution, deforestation, species extinction, depletion of natural resources -- the list is overwhelming without a quick fix in the bunch.  And who's responsible -- corporations, governments, countries?  What impact (if any) can individual human beings have on this widespread panic?  How can the collective footprints of a society catalyze a planetary shift?  As I said, it's a gnarly problem.

So what can the everyday person do about this mess?  We've all seen the "top 10 lists" with tips and tricks for going green -- from turning off the lights to planting more trees.  Well, I have a new one you probably haven't considered.  And maybe one you've never heard raised in the green conversation before -- renting.  Sure, there are areas where we do this very well -- movies, cars, vacation homes.  But what about all the other stuff we use (or don't use) on a regular basis?  Think about all the things we own, but rarely engage.  Might be those power tools rusting away in the garage.  Or the formal dress gathering dust in the back of the closet.  Every body's got something they own but rarely use.  And it's not our fault.  This obsession with possession comes from society's love affair with materialism.  British psychologist, Oliver James identifies possession as one of the 21st century's greatest struggles in his controversial book, Affluenza.  There's a certain status that comes with owning.  There's a certain convenience that comes with having things at one's finger tips.  But if we're only using these things once in a blue moon, what's the point?  If our cultural attachment to ownership is going to change, people need to be inspired by three things -- cost, convenience and a desire to make the world better.  By my calculations, renting addresses all three.  To most, the cost and convenience aspects of renting are obvious.  Claiming renting can save the planet may sound a bit more far-fetched.  But is it?

There was a great article in this past weekend's Scotland on Sunday, titled "Life for Rent."  This is the first article I've seen that articulates the real opportunity for renting and the immense impact it can have on our world.  Kudos to the author, Dani Garavelli.  The article came out of a new report from one of Scotland's governmental groups, claiming, "the secret weapon in meeting climate change targets might be overcoming our obsession with ownership."  The report goes on to say, "we should stop buying so much and start renting instead," identifying five categories of goods most suitable for renting.  The positives of renting versus owning have always seemed clear to me -- renting means sharing the things we already have, effectively reducing production and waste.  It's a communal solution that stands at the cornerstone of all things green.  But until this report, I haven't had much in terms of hard data to prove renting's environmental implications.  What Scotland's Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) uncovered is that, "shifting a fifth of household spending from purchasing to renting would cut emissions by about 2 per cent -- or 13 million tonnes -- of CO2 a year."  Finally, some numbers to back up what many already know is a good idea!  This conservative estimation around renting could have huge implications for our planet.  I spotted another insightful article in Rental Management Magazine, which quotes Angie Hicks of the popular consumer ratings site, Angie's List.  She points out, "When consumers share products, they're reducing their carbon footprint by reducing the amount of resources used and waste produced.  Consumers are learning that there are a variety of rental options that can meet their short-term needs."  It's my hope that more pro-renting testimonials like these continue to come out.  Because, as we've learned, the more education, the more action.

As a rental startup living in the possibility of having an impact, Rentcycle is inspired by others who share this vision and are making headway toward this common goal.  Companies like AirBnB and ZipCar are doing their part to promote sharing as a way of living that can mean big things for our Earth.  We are working our way through this gnarly problem together toward a leaner, greener future.  A future where less is more and sharing is the norm.  As the famous paradox states, "we don't need everything we own and we don't own everything we need."  Next time you feel the urge to buy a new power drill, give renting a shot instead.  The planet thanks you.

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