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One Planet: Why do we all own a lawnmower?

Factual: Science & Nature

06/05/2011

Why do we all own a lawnmower?

BBC World Service - One Planet, Why do we all own a lawnmower?

The rise of collaborative consumption and why sharing is good for business and the planet

One of the UK's largest car sharing schemes has been put up for sale, the move comes just a few weeks after American rival Zipcar successfully floated on the Nasdaq stock market for almost one billion dollars. Sharing cars is becoming an economically and environmentally attractive business.

On this week's One Planet, we explore the rising practise of communities sharing their goods or renting them to one another - why do we all need a lawnmower when it sits in a shed for 99% of its life? The idea has been dubbed collaborative consumption. 

Also in the show we explore Ireland's peat wars. The cash-strapped country faces huge fines from the European Commission for failing to prevent residents digging up its peat bogs - a traditional practise that families have been doing for generations. Plus we explore the development of Venezuela's capital city from one of its tallest towers.

As ever, tune in and let us know what you think. Email the team at oneplanet@bbc.com, or join us on our Facebook page, the link's below.

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