Collabortive Economy - aspects and points of discussion from Germany / Bremen

The European Union information about Collaborative Economy, which was even the main reference in the application for our partnership is found at https://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/services/collaborative-economy_en.

In Germany, the most summarizing official position paper was published 2015 by the Federal Agency for Environment (Umweltbundesamt) under the title “Nutzen statt Besitzen” (“Using instead of Owning”) to be found here https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/378/publikationen/uib_03_2015_nutzen_statt_besitzen_0.pdf (German Only). There is until now no German translation of “C.E.” in official use (no singular case, often German politics or social discussion use English terms without translation), as concepts like “Tauschwirtschaft”, “Gemeinwohlwirtschaft”, “Kreislaufwirtschaft” or “Sozialwirtschaft” are used either in wider, in smaller or quite different definitions. After some discussion with our project stakeholders at Bremen we use “Wirtschaft der Zusammenarbeit” oder “zusammenarbeitende Wirtschaft” as translation (in Easy Language written along German rules for this purpose “Wirtschaft der Zusammen.Arbeit”).

In general, along the lines of the publication mentioned about, C.E. either lengthens or intensifies the use of goods in order to get their production, use and later disposal more in line with the Sustainable Development Goals the whole German society has (or should) embrace and realize. Main and central instrument to do this is “collaboration” between users and producers, between users among themselves or the users of a probably changed future version of the same good or those people responsible for transforming and disposing the good. As services would also depend on a more or less extense use of goods and materials, these too, should be exchanged along lines of cooperation that reduce the consummation of goods (as energy) or the disposal of waste. “Market economy” versions which rely on harsh competition, strict individual use and fast disposing of goods is seen as unable or at least too inflexible to realize these achievements (notwithstanding to old saying that even and certain a hardline egoist would “cooperate” to reach a goal). For many involved persons these strategies generate not only an alternative form of economy but a way of life which is more sustainable and “humanized” than the world of “capitalistic” competition and it is by this way connected to ideas of “Good Living”.

Examples of collaborative use of goods and services could be found easily in our city, as we found out when making the first enquiries for the preparation and the first steps of the CEB partnership.

Things immediately mentioned by people in our exploring interviews, among them many employees or freelancers of our diaconical projects, as examples were the various places one could exchange used books, sometimes in the lobbies of institutions, swimming pools or in specially arranged settings like accessible wardrobes in front of citizens centers or last not least the unused “Telefonzellen” of various smaller or larger towns or cities. They found a new use as exchange libraries and reestablished themselves by this way again as the sort of community center they once were in the stone-age of communication when people had to stand in line and chatted with each other when waiting for the opportunity to make a call. But as we look at the issue of Collaborative Economy with an inclusive pooint of view one has to mention that these "Telefonzellen" and some other book exchange wardrobe we saw on pictures or in reality are probably not barreer-free and accessible for impaired persons. We saw some chests standing on  benches where you look and grab in from above - these offers fit better! 

Another example of collaborative use mentioned in these talks are “Clothing Exchange Parties” (one person told me that she does parties like this “since more than 25 years twice a year”, which shows that this is no invention of the last decade). In friendship circles this works obviously without many rules and regulations whereas one finds now and then invitations for such events made by institutions which uses a lot of red tape to get things done in proposed “justice” – people for example have to provide detailed lists of the clothes they bring or would like to get to be admitted to such exchanges. One point seems quite clear: exchange events like this might generate contacts to people an organization had no access before. We’ll share some experience bout all this in later post!

These exchanging is contrasting on one side with “flea market” sales which is very popular in this country and on the other with the giving away (for example used clothing) to collections done by non-profit or profit organizations. Sometimes with an in-between step of providing employment for sorting, repairing or upcycling such “donated” goods, they are either sold or distributed for new use (in this or other countries) or just for they material value (which might be considerable, according to the development of commodity prices on the market). The most famous and longest running initiative of this kind was realized since mid-19^th century by the diaconical institution of the Bethel Foundations (called “collection of small pieces” – “Brockensammlung”) which used and uses the network of protestant church congregations and other circles of friends to collect used clothing, household goods, used stamps etc. by voluntary engagement. We might offer, during the following months of this partnership some more information about the lively and controversial discussions going on here about the effects of used-clothes collections.

Nearer to the spirit of exchange parties and even lower in the threshold-barrier are “black”boards where people could announce - mostly by sheets of papers - things or services they like to sell or give away or like to get. These blackboards are found in social institutions as well as in the lobbies of supermarkets or other places – practical all of the people we spoke with knew one or more places where such blackboards are in use free of charge). But again this is typically an offer for people able to "stand" and read at the 170cm eye-level. 
A virtual version of these blackboards and with the enlarged possibilities the internet brings for this kind of communication is the initiative “nebenan.de”. Here enters the postcode of the area one is interested about and might look (and use it further after registering with name and address) about such offers in ones neighborhood – the exchange offers come together with invitation of local events). As this should encourage the spirit of neighborhood and solidarity, this initiative is backed and supported by German federal Diaconical Institution. Again, we promise to present and explain this in later postings – in German language www.nebenan.de

Sometimes it is said that one could see the relevance of a social phenomenon when it is shown at work in a popular TV crime series (like the German “Tatort” series, always on the track not only of criminals but of actual “trends”) or in a telenovela. Given this, one has to mention as a friend did to me during the enquiries, that the “economy of exchange” is not only present in one of them but represented by one of the most popular personalities (the daily series “Rote Rosen” and the character “Mr. Lüders” played by the very popular German actor C.D. Clausnitzer) who is active member of an “Exchange Ring” where people exchange goods and services among themselves using some sort of specific time-related currency for evaluation. Tauschringe like this are realized in Bremen at several places and organizations and we promise to present at least some of them and their terms of trade, too, during the life-cycle of this partnership.

Here I just like to mention that the field of C.E. is not without lively political controversies. One is at the moment a discussion about the sustainability-value of Car Sharing services, where several methods and companies compete with “hard bandages” and another about principles to use and re-use food that was on sale in shops or prepared but not consumed in restaurants, events or private homes. There are several ways to collect, “rescue” and distribute them which are – along the lines of preference – seen as a dignified and reward-owning volunteers or charity service or as dangerous for health and hygiene or even a criminal activity (German Constitutional Court might give a ruling about one of these questions).These might be issues of future posting here! Watch this space for more!