do we share because we really care?

The sharing economy started out for people to make a quick buck out of the things that are under-utilised at home. In addition to achieving higher levels of efficiency, the sharing economy has transformed to making users more aware of the environmental benefits that comes from sharing. These two goals are vastly different - making extra money relies on the profit maximising economic structure, whereas being environmentally concerned has to do with the social welfare of the population and the environment around us. Is it then possible to strike a balance between the two, where the shared model can encompass both allowing users to earn money, yet being environmentally concerned at the same time?

Airbnb is increasingly popular today as it offers users with a different local experience with each trip. The variety and choice of home listings on Airbnb is almost endless, allowing users to choose the home they feel most interested in. In 2007, founders Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky were struggling to pay their rent. Upon realising that they had three extra airbeds, the website airbedandbreakfast was born. They rented out the beds and cooked the guests breakfast, charging them $80 per night. The idea came about to make money out of the extra bed or extra room they had that was vacant. Fast forward 9 years later, Airbnb is now valued at $1.3 billion, with more than 10 million nights booked in more than 19,000 cities in 192 countries. 

Today, more people are turning to investing in homes with the sole purpose of transforming them into lucrative Airbnb listings. This goes against the main reason why Airbnb started out in the first place. With people increasingly purchasing homes to rent them out, this puts a stress on the government as it would mean less homes available for first-time home buyers. Coupled with the growing population around the world, the high competition for homes can significantly drive up prices of homes. In this case, the social welfare of society is not being fully maximised. 

Furthermore, people are increasingly revamping their homes to increase traffic on their Airbnb listings. The main reason why Airbnb is so popular among millennials especially is because of its unique and aesthetically-pleasing environment. Home owners are making their homes more fitted to users - having high speed wifi, air-conditioning, heaters,bathtubs, and even painting or renovating the place. When comparing Airbnb homes to traditional hotels, Airbnbs are generally seen as being more green. When we stay in homes, we tend to consume less water and take more public transport. However, such results are seen more of a coincidence - it was not Airbnb's primary goal to have such green effects. Hence, in this aspect, consumers of shared homes tend to share because it presents us with a cheaper and unique option, instead of sharing because of its environmental benefits. 

References:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9525267/Airbnb-The-story-behind-the-1.3bn-room-letting-website.html