Tim Hyer is the founder of Rentcycle, a startup based in San Francisco. Rentcycle helps local rental businesses get discovered and lets consumers compare options and book reservations online. The mission is to waste less, share more.
San Francisco is a unique spot. From retro Haight Ashbury to flamboyant Castro to hipster Mission, this city knows how to embrace weird. As accustomed as I've become to the wonders of such diversity, I find I can still be caught off guard. During a recent jog up and down the hilly streets, I saw something that made me do a double-take. Goats? In the middle of the city?? Yes. One can't help but feel farm animals in the middle of a metropolis is strange, even for a town that encourages oddity. What on earth could they be doing here?
Upon further investigation, I found these goats had a purpose: to clear the land of brush and weeds. They were part of a SF-based company, called City Grazing. This company touts goat grazing as an environmentally friendly alternative to mowing, burning or herbicides. Further, the company claims its goats can cover large areas in a shorter period of time than most manpower at a rate of 1/2 acre per 8 hour day (50 goats). Plus, they're cheaper than manual labor, are chemical-free and are popular with parents and children. Even the critter's droppings are in demand!
When I got back from my run, I got on the computer and discovered San Fran is not alone in its love for goats! There's Rent-a-Ruminant in Seattle, Hire-a-Goat in San Diego, Goatmowers in Grand Rapids. You may not believe it, but there's even a search engine specifically dedicated to goat rentals, called Goat Finder at www.goatfinder.com! Who knew this was such a lucrative business! WIRED Magazine covered the Rent-a-Goat concept a couple years back with this video:
Hopefully I taught you something new today, or at least made you chuckle. For those of you who can't stand mowing your lawn, now there's no excuse. You can rent a four legged weed eating machine to do the job for you!
Did you know May is national bike month? What better way to welcome spring and summer than on a bicycle! Whether you’re an avid cyclist or a casual beach cruiser, bipedal locomotion is good old-fashioned fun. Whizzing ‘round town on a bike will instantly clear your mind and is a great way to see the outdoors. Plus, it’s one of those life pleasures that bring you right back to childhood.
Although you can’t act like a child at work, you can certainly relive the experience during the commute. Tomorrow is bike-to-work day, held annually on the third Friday of May across the United States and Canada. Some cities, like San Francisco celebrated early, but there’s never a wrong time to bike-to-work. It’s a healthy, safe and green alternative to driving. Be sure to check out events in your city.
If you don’t own a bicycle, check out Rentcycle for places to rent in your area. And don't worry if you haven't oiled those chains in awhile. As the expression goes, “it’s like riding a bike!”
Cleantech has been called the greatest environmental opportunity of the 21st century—a potential counter-reality to the inconvenient truth of pollution, destruction and global climate change. In a previous post, I touted the ecological benefits of renting. Now I want to talk about the technology sitting at the center of the cleantech universe—solar power. The opportunity to create energy out of a renewable resource as prevalent as sunlight is very promising. It’s also very expensive.
The average cost to manufacture and install a residential solar system is $40,000. Sure, homeowners recoup this investment and more with reduced energy bills, effective immediately. But it’s still a ton of cash to put down up-front. The recession didn’t help a widespread adoption of solar technology. It’s estimated more than $12B in revenues were lost in the solar industry during 2009 alone. What a shame. This green, cost-cutting technology was falling victim to frozen credit, fewer subsidies and massive layoffs. Just like the rest of the economy.So, what’s a solar company to do? All this expensive product with no way to sell it. A few innovative companies realized maybe that was at the heart of the problem—selling. They thought, perhaps there are other (less financially prohibitive) ways to distribute solar technology. Instead of a one-time transaction of $40,000, some solar companies began leasing their systems on long-term contracts.
One of these solar rental pioneers is San Francisco-based SunRun. Under their model, households pay an installation fee (no more than $1K) and agree to a fixed monthly utility and maintenance bill for the next 20 years, during which time they save thousands of dollars. Leases are easily transferred so relocation isn’t a problem. Most new homeowners are happy to lock in electricity costs for the near-term future—a financial no-brainer.Compared with the rest of the industry which tanked in 2009, SunRun’s year-over-year growth was 400% and bookings are expected to triple in 2010. And SunRun isn’t the only solar company to discover the rental opportunity—Sungevity, Citizenre REnU, SolarCity and others are discovering the consumer-friendly benefits of renting.Solar energy. Just another way to reduce, reuse, rent.
One of the nice things about renting is the simplicity of the concept. The benefits of renting are relatively easy for most people to grasp. We save money by renting when we can't affort to buy. We help the environment by sharing the things we already have, reducing production. Makes sense, right? There's another advantage many overlook when it comes to renting -- space savings. Take a second to think about your home. Now, think about your closets. Are they empty? If you're anything like me, they're stuffed beyond capacity -- usually to the point where I can barely shut the door. Some may say this is because I live in a city apartment and have limited closet space, but I think this lets me and others off the hook way too easily. Whether you have 1 closet or 10 closets, chances are you'll find ways to fill them. Why is it so easy for us to accumulate so much stuff? Because this is how we've been programmed to consume. In order to remain savvy, we're forced to upgrade to the latest tech gadgets that claim to be "the next big thing." In order to remain fashionable, we're forced to keep up with the latest styles that fluctuate drastically from season to seaon. After awhile, we end up with a pile of old iPods and shoes that do nothing but take up space, adding zero value to our lives.
Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, touches on the current era of humanity as "the age of abundance" where people have way too much stuff -- more than they'd ever need. He discusses this in the context of the self-storage industry -- an industry built around an over-abundance of posessions. He comments, "What is the unmet consumer need that self-storage is trying to satisfy? It is a problem called too much stuff. Not a problem that affected our parents and grandparents. But the self-storage industry in America today, an industry devoted entirely to finding a place to house people’s extra stuff, is a $22.6 billion, that is a B, billion dollar a year industry. The self-storage industry is larger than the motion picture business in this country." I've also read it's an industry that's growing faster than McDonald's. When we get to the point that our material goods exceed the space we need to functionally live -- to the point that we need to purchase additional space exclusively for housing our idle assets -- we should probably admit there's a problem. You've heard of hoarding, right?
Annie Leonard, an activist who has spent the past 10 years traveling the globe fighting environmental threats, created a documentary called The Story of Stuff. In the video, she presents a rapid-fire, often humorous and always engaging story about “all our stuff—where it comes from and where it goes when we throw it away.” The documentary may present a one-sided, extremist viewpoint about the lifecycle of material goods, but it certainly opens up a dialogue around how the production of more and more stuff is destroying our lives and our planet. Leonard's primary thesis states, "you cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely." We need to introduce a cyclical process -- something that is sustainable.
Fortunately, renting is a cyclical process. You take a material good that has been produced and reuse that product over and over and over, until its value has been fully maximized. More sharing = less production = less waste. I'm not suggesting that renting is the cure-all for our society's obsession with possession. But it's certainly a step in the right direction. What most people don't realize is you can rent just about anything you can buy. From designer dresses to iPhones to Christmas Trees, there's no shortage of rental goods. So next time you need a stereo for a party or a power saw for a home improvement project, consider renting. Your closet (and your planet) will thank you.
Regardless of how you celebrate the season, one can't help but notice the Christmas spirit in full swing. Festive decorations, familiar carols, classic specials making their once-a-year TV appearances. You may have noticed some less traditional signs of the times surfacing as well. In past years, the season of red and green has been getting a lot greener. Today's eco-freindly consumer is finding new ways to bring joy to our world. From LED Christmas lights to buying local to re-gifting, green options abound! Some of the most popular eco trends to surface revolve around the holiday's centerpiece -- the Christmas tree. It's estimated that 32M Christmas trees are sold in America each year. The sheer environmental loss inherent in this statistic is staggering, not to mention the greenhouse gas and landfill implications. To combat this overwhelming reality, there's now a new option for Christmas tree lovers -- renting.
Several companies have been popping up around the world offering programs for renting (or adopting) living Christmas trees. The idea is simple. For under $100, you can have a potted evergreen delivered to your home where you can decorate and enjoy for three weeks time, after which it is picked back up and replanted, donated or cared for until next December. Ingenious! The cost is a bit more than what you'd pay to buy, but you can feel better knowing you did a good deed. Plus, drop-off and pick-up are included -- in a bio-diesel truck, no less!
Below are a few Christmas tree rental companies available by city. Feel free to add to this list:
Just got back from a fantastic weekend in sunny Clearwater where I cheered on my superstar wife who competed in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Although it felt strange to sit on the sidelines, spectating was an interesting experience. For one, it made me take a step back and realize just how much goes into the endurance sport of triathlon. The early mornings, the body markings, the nutritional requirements. Then there's the equipment -- goggles, arm warmers, swim caps, sneakers, gear bags. At one point, I counted 30 different items used during the course of a typical competition.
As the founder of a rental startup, I can't help but ponder how much of this equipment can be rented. There are the obvious things -- wetsuits and bicycles. But, after some research, I found there are plenty of other things you can rent too. From Zipp wheels to helmets to aerobars, triathlons offer many opportunities for reuse. This not only offers cost savings to an otherwise expensive sport, but renting is a sustainable option that promotes reduction and reuse. And it's not just triathlons. How often do you use snow skis, scuba gear, a kayak? There are lots of times renting makes sense for our wallet and for our planet.
This got me thinking about other examples of sustainable sport. Outside of renting, there are lots of other ways to make your athletic adventures green. I found a fun site, called EcoAthlete that serves as a resource for athletes who want to integrate sustainable living choices into their athletic endeavors. Covering everything from ecologically sound products to carbon neutral sporting events (like those certified by ReSport), the site is all about reducing your footprint as an athlete.
Recycling athletic gear is another growing trend in sport. Nike has spearheaded a program called ReUSE A SHOE that turns old sneakers into athletic surfaces, like running tracks, tennis courts and basketball courts. Companies like Play It Again Sports dedicate themselves to selling used sporting goods. You can even recycle old surfboards on sites like ReSurf.org.
These days, there are so many options for the green athlete. Would love to hear some of your favorite tips and tricks.
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.
Now that Rentcycle has a blog, a few people have asked about my path. How did I get here? Here's the scoop.
My journey with Rentcycle officially started in November 2008, but you can argue it really started when I moved cross-country from North Carolina to California in July 2007. While my wife started a PhD program at Berkeley, I got a full-time job at an innovation consulting firm in Silicon Valley, called Cheskin. Helping some of the most powerful Fortune 500 companies develop new products and services, I couldn't help but feel the potential of my new home in the Bay Area. I was surrounded by innovation, by invention, and it didn't take long for me to catch the startup bug. With every client I engaged with, with every article I read in the local tech blogs, I felt strong urges to get out there and start something on my own. And it could have been anything -- as long as it solved a need and could make an impact.
I recall this one day when I engaged with the Idea Mentor at Adobe, Rick Bess. Rick came into Cheskin and talked about the innovation process at Adobe and how it's embedded within the culture. During his presentation, he made a comment about how he's always lived and breathed innovation, from the time he was 26 years old... which was when he started his first company. He went on about 26 year olds being free of the obligations of an older crowd and how it's the ideal age to start a company. I was inspired by these words of encouragement, since I happened to be 26 at the time. It was at that point that I officially had startups on the brain. My travels always sparked different ideas -- a trip to Portland had me thinking of opening a unique bar reminiscent of the great local brew experiences in Oregon. Visits to my nieces and nephews led to internet startup ideas where families could connect and share hand-me-down clothing through an online community. Seemed inspiration was all around, it was just a matter of time.
Finally, I had an opening. In November 2008, I completed a life-long goal by finishing my first Ironman triathlon. To give some context, I had spent the prior six months dedicating approximately 20 hours per week to training (swimming, biking and running). Needless to say, I suddenly had a lot of extra time on my hands! It was at this same time that I was exploring my latest startup fancy, which happened to be related to renting stuff. As a triathlete, I've rented my fair share of equipment -- from bikes, to wetsuits, to zip wheels. And what a pain the whole process had been! I knew there had to be a better way. Hence, the birth of Rentcycle. For the next six months, I wrote and revised several business plans. I learned the ropes on my own as I acquired domain names, applied for trademarks and recruited technical help. I heard of startup incubator programs and applied to a couple. But was discouraged to learn most required that I quit my day job. At this very early stage, and without technical help, I wasn't ready to take the plunge. So, I continued to balance my day job with long nights and busy weekends. I was referred to an article in TechCrunch about a new incubator called The Founder Institute. In May 2009, I became part of the inaugural class. Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by peers who were facing the same challenges and obstacles as me. It was so refreshing and helped establish instant camaraderie. We commiserated about the juggling act, balancing startup with full-time job. We shared experiences as we sought technical talent and helped each other through our first investor pitches. It was a very collaborative and encouraging group. Between smart peers and phenomenal mentors, The Institute introduced me to a whole new world.
Since graduation, I've launched my product, gotten some solid press and have acquired over 100 customers! Exciting doesn't begin to describe this phase of my life. 2010 is going to be a big year for the business and I look forward to what lies ahead!
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