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6 Ways to Start SharingWhat do you do when you want to start sharing resources, but your communitys not into it?

by Stephanie Smith

posted Aug 25, 2010

Neighbors in Lae !swego, !regon ho"d a pot"uc b"oc party and swap meet#$hoto by Sean %rei"inger

&esource'sharing can be deep"y (u"(i""ing, but a"so (rustrating"y di((icu"t, especia""y at the outset#

!n a recent b"og post, someone ased me, )What do you do i( you "i*e in a conser*ati*e +idwestern

town, not a hip coasta" city, where sharing is seen as a threat or a huge no'no? -*e had +idwesterners

te"" me, oh, no, peop"e wi"" ne*er share cars# !r i( you share too"s, someone wi"" stea" them or breathem# .hat-s the menta"ity# /ow do you o*ercome this?)

reat uestion /ow do you begin? ( you happen not to be in one o( those hotbeds o( sharing

inno*ation "ie $ort"and, 3ere"ey4!a"and, or 3roo"yn, how do you start sharing and with whom6 in

a way that gi*es you the most chance o( success?

/ere are a (ew ideas on getting started7

First, get in tune with the sharing that already happens around you.Sometimes we dont ha*e to

buc trends or pester neighbors in order to start sharing# &emember when you ga*e a (riend a ride to

the airport? !r shared oranges (rom your tree with a ne8t'door neighbor? !r participated in a bae sa"eat your church? !r e*en checed a boo out (rom the "ibrary? Not e*eryone (orma"i9es it by ca""ing it

resource'sharing, but we share in(orma""y a"" the time# Notice these sharing beha*iors: champion them:

bui"d on them#

-*e had +idwesterners te"" me, oh, no, peop"e wi"" ne*er share cars# !r i( you share too"s, someonewi"" stea" them or brea them# .hat-s the menta"ity# /ow do you o*ercome this?

Second, decide if youre a natural starter, or a joiner..o get resource'sharing beyond the ;borrow acup o( sugar (rom a neighbor stage reuires a bit o( research, p"anning and o*ersight# Not to mention

some ca

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.his idea maes sense especia""y (or (o"s in rura" areas# +any institutions "ie churches, schoo"s,

community centers, and "ibraries ho"d *a"uesand ha*e actua" physica" spacethat supports sharing#

%e*e"op sharing programs inside these strongho"ds and wor outwards#

Fourth, use saving money as a reason for getting started.@ew can resist this practica" e8cuse to startsharing# Show (riends or neighbors, on paper, how much money you"" a"" sa*e i( you share#

A %i((erent ind o( !wnership Societynno*ati*e strategies (or cooperati*e "oca" ownership mae it possib"e (or prosperity to be shared as

we"" as sustainab"e#

Fifth, sit down together and tal.@ace time especia""y o*er (ood6 is the ey to community'bui"ding

and neighborhood'based resource'sharing# /a*e a pot"uc Sit down with a (ew neighbors, e8tended(ami"y members or (riends, share a mea", and simp"y ta" about this topic# Bou"" "ie"y be ama9ed by

the ideas that come up, the (ee"ings o( goodwi"" that arise, and the sense o( rightness that wi"" emerge

(rom this e8perience, as i( e*eryone is taing a deep breathahhhhhhh# We humans are communa" by

nature, and this may *ery we"" (ee" "ie coming home#

!nd finally, stay inspired.Creating a resource'sharing based society wi"" tae time# .he more

passionate we are about the bene(its o( resource'sharing and community'bui"ding, the more stamina

we"" ha*e#

ot more tips on getting started? Let us now

Stephanie Smith is a contributor to Shareab"e#net, an architectura" designer, socia"

entrepreneur, and author interested in a"ternati*e communities, radica" economics, and post'digita"design# She recent"y started a barn'raising group in her community#

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/a-different-kind-of-ownership-societyhttp://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/purple-america/we-are-hard-wired-to-care-and-connecthttp://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/purple-america/we-are-hard-wired-to-care-and-connecthttp://www.shareable.net/http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/a-different-kind-of-ownership-societyhttp://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/a-different-kind-of-ownership-societyhttp://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/a-different-kind-of-ownership-societyhttp://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/purple-america/we-are-hard-wired-to-care-and-connecthttp://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/purple-america/we-are-hard-wired-to-care-and-connecthttp://www.shareable.net/