Hey…ever think about how there are some things you own, but only use rarely? Like your car for example (which likely sits idle for 23 hours a day)? Collaborative consumption, like carsharing, gives you all the access without all the burden of ownership (like cost).  Doesn’t it seem smarter to spread out the cost burden? It seems like more and more people are starting to think so. Zipcar has released some interesting new data about changing attitudes toward ownership that we think is real cool:

“The study, conducted in October 2011 by KRC Research, reveals that 55 percent of Millennials surveyed have actively made an effort to drive less, up 10 percentage points from 45 percent in 2010, highlighting the growing trend of consciously reducing road time.

Some of the factors that Millennials cite for driving less frequently include environmental concerns, total cost of vehicle ownership and an increased use of social media. More than half of Millennials surveyed stated “protecting the environment” as one key reason for driving less, also up 10 percentage points from 45 percent last year.  The study also reveals that more than three quarters (78 percent) of 18-34-year-old respondents who are licensed drivers say car ownership is difficult due to high costs of gas, parking and maintenance.  In contrast to other age cohorts, social media is increasingly another factor for Millennials driving less.  Sixty-eight percent of 18-34-year-olds, up 14 percentage points from 54 percent in 2010, agree that they sometimes choose to use social media rather than go out to see friends and family.”