Is an economics model based on the concept of sharing economy an essential element of a sustainable circular economy?
Is the sharing economy model an essential element of a sustainable circular economy and an important factor in protecting the climate, biosphere and biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems?
Is the sharing economy model an essential element of a sustainable circular economy and thus a sustainable green zero-carbon economy or one that strives for zero-carbon, green transformation of the economy, protection of the climate, the biosphere and the biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems?
The sharing economy model, i.e. the sharing economy, the sharing economy, the collaborative economy, is an important element of what is more broadly referred to as a sustainable circular economy. On the other hand, the processes of green transformation of economies aimed, among other things, at reducing the consumption of natural resources, decreasing waste generation and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions are expected to lead to a reduction in the scale of carbon emissions, i.e. greenhouse gas emissions and thus slow down the progressive process of global warming and reduce the scale of environmental pollution, reduce the scale of loss of biodiversity of natural ecosystems and the consumption of strategic natural resources such as water and rare raw materials. The phenomenon is based on people's willingness to cooperate, help others and share their time and resources, which is reciprocated in various ways (material and non-material). In the past, this form of cooperation was limited to a narrow circle of family, friends and neighbours, and with mass production, the development of trade and services and stronger migration resulting in the separation of multi-generational families and the loss of networks of acquaintances, this phenomenon slowly lost its importance and its functions were taken over by companies and institutions (e.g. public institutions). The other side of human nature, which is the desire to compete and look after narrowly defined self-interest, is the basis of classical economics, but under market economy conditions it sometimes leads to distortions (exploitation, fraud, etc.). Thanks to the development and application of new technologies, collaborative economics is once again gaining popularity and economic rationality. A key determinant of the dynamic development of the sharing economy was the financial crisis in 2008, as well as the need to save money, make better use of resources and change social relations. The development of the concept of a sustainable circular economy should therefore also take the sharing economy into account. The circular economy takes into account, among other things, the minimisation of the environmental impact of the production cycle. An important element of the closed loop economy can be the production method called in Polish 'from cradle to cradle'. This idea specifies methods for designing and producing objects in accordance with the concept of sustainable development, so that, at the end of their useful life, they can be put back into the production cycle. The circular economy also has a territorial dimension. In the context of the functioning of regions and especially urban areas, it refers to yet other economic solutions, e.g. the concept of the sharing economy, according to which unlimited consumption or accumulation of property gives way to sharing, exchanging or borrowing. According to this concept, people give up many goods for their own exclusive use in favour of others, i.e. they reduce the need for products whose production cycle often requires large amounts of raw materials and energy. The sharing economy is defined as a social and economic phenomenon that involves a shift in organisational and distribution models towards distributed networks of interconnected individuals and communities, involving both the direct provision of services by people to each other, as well as sharing, co-creation, co-direction, etc., enabling a radical increase in resource efficiency. Accordingly, the sharing economy model is an essential component of a sustainable circular economy and thus a sustainable green zero-carbon economy or one that strives towards zero-carbon.
In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:
Is the sharing economy model an essential element of a sustainable closed loop economy and thus a sustainable green zero-carbon economy or one that strives for zero-carbon, a green transformation of the economy, the protection of the climate, the biosphere and the biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems?
What is your opinion on this subject?
Please respond,
I invite you all to discuss,
Thank you very much,
Best wishes,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
In my opinion, the sharing economy model is an essential element of a sustainable circular economy and thus a sustainable green zero-carbon economy or one that strives for zero-carbon, green transformation of the economy, protection of the climate, the biosphere and the biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems. By encouraging resource sharing, the sharing economy model helps to reduce the consumption of natural resources and the waste generated. It also encourages people to cooperate and help each other, thus reducing the need for expensive services and products. Furthermore, by encouraging people to use shared resources, it reduces the need for energy-intensive production, thus helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, by encouraging people to cooperate and share resources, it can help to reduce the environmental impact of production cycles and preserve the biodiversity of natural ecosystems. Therefore, I believe that the sharing economy model is an essential element of a sustainable circular economy and an important factor in protecting the climate, biosphere and biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems.
By "circular economy" I suppose you mean the recycling of waste. This does not need a model to help sustain it, and in places where it is done there is no compulsion for such a model to be created and used.
However, in my opinion a circular economy is also about sharing items that are not simply waste, but are still useful as suggested by the picture at the head of this thread. It is not necessary to have to model this but such a well-organized control system for better sharing could benefit if a modelling process were introduced.
This diagram is how I see the macroeconomy with many possible circuits (actually a total of 46 in Appendix F of my book "Consequential Macroeconomics"). Write to me for a free e-copy.
The sharing economy model can be an important element of a sustainable circular economy. By allowing people to share and reuse resources, rather than always buying new items, the sharing economy can reduce waste and promote resource efficiency. This can lead to a more sustainable use of materials, which is a key goal of the circular economy. However, it's worth noting that not all sharing economy models are created equal. Some sharing platforms may still encourage excessive consumption and waste, particularly if they focus on short-term rentals of disposable goods. To truly promote a sustainable circular economy, sharing platforms should prioritize long-term use, durable goods, and resource-efficient practices.