2nd Green Revolution » Business

“eBay for Rentals” Rentstuff Goes Nationwide

Justin Manger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:57:47 +0000

Take a quick look in your closet. Or your attic. Or your garage. If you’re like most Americans, you’ve got tons of “stuff,” a lot of which you use rarely, if at all. It seems like someone, somewhere may be looking for something that you have. It sounds like there may be a trade waiting to be made. It also sounds like there may be a business model there. But how do you get the would be renter and rentee together? Enter Rentstuff.com. Rentstuff describes their site as similar to “an an eBay for rentals. It allows individuals to list anything they have like lawn mowers, photo equipment, music gear, handbags and dresses, party supplies and more to rent out to other individuals for money.” Once a connection is made, the site facilitates setting up a meeting so the item can be rented.

Founded by twin brothers Robert and Chris Jaeger, the site launched in August 2011 and “has just opened everywhere in the US. Our first key target markets have been Nashville [but] RentStuff recently opened their website for use across the country.” However, until users populate the site with “stuff”, some cities may not have items available yet. This is part of the larger “collaborative consumption” movement (think Airbnb, Zipcar, Skillshare). It is also a way for people to make some money in a still lethargic economy with high unemployment.

The video below gives a quick overview of the service.

It does seem pretty simple and can all be done over the internet and mobile devices. You can answer inquiries from renters through the messaging system, then contact the other party to confirm pick-up details. Once the meeting takes place and both parties are in agreement on the rental, payment can be securely sent and received securely through text message.

With the site now open across the country, it seems like the idea to rent stuff may be catching on. Next time you’re looking for an item you need on a temporary basis, think about trying to rent it instead of buying a new one. This form of reusing may save you some cash while being environmentally conscious.

[Images from marketing director via email]

Obama Returns to Energy Theme in State of the Union

2nd Green Revolution — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:04:52 +0000

As he has done previously in talking about the state of America, President Obama had several things to say about energy in Tuesday night’s speech (transcript here). For one, due to a surge in domestic oil production, imports of foreign oil have fallen to the lowest levels in 16 years and “American oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years.”

Though there wasn’t much new in terms of policy, Obama did lay out a bold goal for clean energy, saying that the U.S. can get 80% of its electricity from clean sources by 2035. This includes natural gas, of course, which is cleaner than coal but not a renewable energy source.

The idea of domestic energy and national security was mentioned a few times, a recurring theme recently. Obama specifically envisioned “A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.” While biofuels were not mentioned by name, the president did acknowledge that with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, “This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.”

As is the tradition in presidential addresses, Obama cited working class individuals who were in the audience. In particular, he mentioned Bryan Ritterby, a formerly out-of-work furniture maker. Ritterby was hired at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan.

Obama also argued that the country needs to “double-down on a clean energy industry” by passing tax credits. Furthermore, he called for a clean energy standard to spur innovation. Calling out Congress, he directed the “administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3 million homes.”Fortunately, the president did not overlook the low-hanging fruit of efficiency and conservation. He proposed to “Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.” Estimates from these improvements come in at $100 billion in savings on energy bills. This is in conjunction with “less pollution, more manufacturing, [and] more jobs for construction workers who need them.”

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52 Japanese Municipalities Now Energy Independent

Justin Manger — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:09:13 +0000

Given the dearth of natural resources, new concerns over nuclear power, and a “mottainai” mentality, it seems natural that Japan should look to put in place policies and develop technologies in order to increase renewable energy. A non-profit organization called Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, in conjunction with a research lab at Chiba University, completed a study in December that counts 52 municipalities in “energy sustainable zones.” These zones are defined as “an area where energy demands for households and business activities as well as for agriculture, forestry and fisheries can be completely satisfied by renewable energy generated within the area.” The Tohoku region, in the northern part of Japan that experienced the tsunami disaster last year, has a number of prefectures that are highly self-sufficient both in renewable energy and food. The study shows varying increases in renewable energy sources. By category,

photovoltaic (PV) power increased by 36.1 percent (%) from the previous fiscal year, with the launch of the Excess Electricity Purchasing Scheme for PV Electricity in November 2009. Wind power and biomass power also continued to increase by 16.5% and 8.5%, respectively. Micro-hydropower (10,000 kilowatts or less), geothermal power and solar thermal power decreased slightly. All told, the domestic supply of renewable energy increased by a mere 4.2% from the previous fiscal year.

Given that a feed-in tariff system approved by the federal government last year will be implemented this summer, the amount of renewable energy being used should see even larger growth. This is one area where Japan should not look to the U.S. for guidance or advice but take a strong and clear leadership position by itself. There is a lot the U.S. can learn about energy efficiency by studying Japan.

[Image by author]

Poll: Obama’s State of the Union Speech

Justin Manger — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:31:24 +0000

On Tuesday, January 24th President Obama will deliver his State of the Union Address from Capitol Hill. How prominently do you think clean energy and the “green” economy will be featured in the speech? Choose from one of the options below:

Take Our Poll

For a brief reminder of last year’s state of the union, check out our coverage of the speech.

From Used Mattress to Commodity

Eric Wilson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:31:43 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to your mattress after you’re done using it, Spring Back Recycling has one answer. The new company started recycling the old foam and spring amalgamations. Spring Back Recycling, which was founded last year, charges patrons $10 per mattress to recycle the old sleep-aids. More than just an environmentally friendly company, Spring Back began “through a partnership between Belmont University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team and Belmont Church’s Isaiah 58 Ministry in the spring of 2011. This partnership provides a second chance to previously incarcerated and homeless men” in addition to reducing the amount of material sent to landfills.

The combination of environmentally conscious and socially aware aspects makes Spring Back a model company for a sustainable future. According to their website, more than 30 million mattresses are disposed of in landfills each year. Although they only serve the Nashville, Tennessee area at this time, the model could work in numerous locales, providing jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Through the recycling process, raw materials can be recovered from mattresses. These include cotton, metal, wood, and foam. “The revenue generated from this process sustains the venture, provides jobs and job training, and diverts mattresses from landfills.”

Spring Back Recycling was recently featured on NPR. The article focused on the company’s niche in the marketplace as well as the dual benefits of social and environmental concerns. According to the story, mattresses “contain an average of 25 pounds of steel and foam that can be chopped up for carpet padding [however,] recycling companies usually refuse to take a used mattress.” The idea of a used mattress may seem unsavory. In fact, a cursory internet search suggests that many states prohibit the resale of them, thereby making recycling even more essential.

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