The sharing economy is flourishing, leading to a stronger sense of community and environmental benefits. It’s a trend that facilitates peer-to-peer exchange of goods and services for everything from bicycles to lodging.

In many ways, our culture values experiences rather than ownership of things. Take the Marie Kondo movement, for example: Self-proclaimed minimalists find bliss in a life without the bookshelf of odds and ends. All over Oregon, community organizations are hearing the call and creating ways to reduce waste and excess by sharing with others.

Our recycling system is in a crisis. Last year, China stopped taking our recycling for processing, setting off a chain reaction of problems for the American recycling system. In New England and across the country, the cost of recycling for towns and cities is skyrocketing, forcing local governments to shift around their budgets, or worse, consider canceling their programs altogether.