sharability splash

Perhaps you have been growing increasingly concerned as of late

about global environmental issues

like pollution

loss of biodiversity

climate change

or conflict over scarce natural resources

or more domestic matters

like rampant commercialism and high debt levels

or the perils of increased social isolation

All these complex problems

Are being fueled in large part by a common force

consumption - the process by which we accumulate more stuff

Sure, we can blame advertisers for tempting us

but knowing how many wonderful things there are to be had

 can we fault people for wanting to experience them all?

However, as any economist will tell you, we are at an impasse

these limitless desires

are confronted by a fundamental scarcity of resources

everyone cannot simultaneously enjoy what some already have

those resource-intensive luxuries that the rich take for granted

Humanity aspiring to this dream of unbridled material prosperity will beget

nightmares because we cannot yet achieve it

in a sustainable fashion.

But surely you've heard enough about this dilemma...

and have gotten on board the new green bandwagon

maybe not... perhaps these arguments aren't compelling

or now you just feel so fatalistic about the future

that you're verging on something like eco-nihilism

Take heart in this idea: you can have more fun with less stuff

simply by sharing what you already have with others

This may seem childish at first, but just think about it...

how many things in your room have you not touched in months?

and don't forget about all the other stuff in storage

now think about all your friends' rooms

To put it simply

Finding ways to facilitate sharing of our underutilized resources in ways that are

• safe• convenient

• fun

could be an effective strategy for confronting some of the world's biggest

problems.

Here are some existing websites and organizations leading the way...

Plus, the information technologies needed to make sharing easier and more effective are

just now becoming widely available

Sharability.org facilitates conversations and activities centered around current and

future resource sharing initiatives...

Please join in!