Anna Davies - Collaborative Consumption with Rachel Botsman

Anna Davies is the research manager and blogger for the Institute for the Future - in this post she briefly looks at the idea of collaborative consumption, an idea discussed by Rachel Botsman, who is co-author of the new book What's Mine is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption. You can read the collaborative consumption blog here.

Collaborative Consumption with Rachel Botsman

Collaborative consumption is a concept we've been following with interest at the Institute. Yesterday we were lucky enough to enjoy a visit from Rachel Botsman, who has documented the movement in her new book What's Mine is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption, co-authored with Roo Rogers. Rachel is at the end of a worldwide tour for the book, during which she's been taking her ideas to diverse audiences including Microsoft, The Feast Conference and No 10 Downing Street.

The book explores how the reduced cost of collaboration afforded by social technology is enabling people to put assets with "high idling capacity" to use. Sites such as AirB&B and ParkatmyHouse allow individuals to make smart use of resources like a driveway or a spare room that go unused most of the time. These contributions to what she terms "collaborative lifestyles" are not only providing people with new income sources, but also an outlet for creativity.

The movement has also driven some innovative solutions to tough social challenges. Take Good Gym, a scheme which is currently being piloted in Tower Hamlets, London. Good Gym starts from the premise that the very idea of gyms as a place to exercise are symptomatic of a sick society. As an alternative to the treadmill, participants sign up to run a set number of miles in their neighborhood, and on their way, they drop in to visit an elderly person who might struggle to get out and about. Participants might drop off a library book or some grocercies, or they might just stay for a chat. The motivation to stick to a running schedule is hugley increased with the knowledge that there is someone waiting for a visit. And the elderly participants in the scheme go from being passive recipients of a volunteering project to much needed "coaches," helping someone to achieve their fitness goals.

It was fantastic to hear so many great examples of this exciting movement, not least since it resonates so strongly with much of our recent thinking at the Institute (Marina's piece on crowdsourcing ambundance is just one example). We'll be following Rachel's progress closely over the next few months - thank you Rachel for dropping by!

Tags: Anna Davies, Collaborative Consumption, Rachel Botsman, Institute for the Future, What's Mine is Yours, The Rise of Collaborative Consumption, Roo Rogers, culture, consumerism, economics, conscious consumption, collaboration, collaborative lifestyles