I knew of Zipcar, but I really hadn’t thought that much about it. After all, I’m a Texan, and we’re not exactly the poster children for population density.  But a few weeks ago, I heard a short presentation from Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith that really peaked my interest.

The information on Zipcar itself was fascinating, and the technology they’ve created is pretty nifty. But it’s their model that I’m interested in.  Griffith called it “Zipcar Capitalism,” saying they had taken car ownership and turned it into a service.  Over 325,000 customers agree that it’s a great idea.

That saying stuck with me, and I pondered it as we rode our rented bicycles throughout Washington DC the next day. Could “Zipcar Capitalism” be the tip of the iceberg? Could they be on to something much bigger?

I think so.

Call it Collaborative Consumption. Call it Cooperative Capitalism. Call it Rentalism. Call it anything you’d like. It’s sharing – all grown up.

And it just might be the start of a new way of consumption that reduces all the “stuff” we surround ourselves with until we throw it away. (If you’re curious as to why our current model is a problem, check out Annie Leonard’s The Story of Stuff. If you can withstand the conspiracy theories, she makes some excellent points.)

One of Zipcar’s original founders, Robin Chase, even posted a formula for this new type of consumption on her blog. It’s amazingly simple, but profound.

1. Identify excess capacity.

2. Build a platform for others to share/engage with the excess.

3. Appreciate unanticipated benefits.

There are examples all around us: NetFlix, BookSwim, Avelle (for handbags & jewelry), BabyPlays.com, ArtRentAndLease.com, and even FlexPetz.

And now it’s our turn to figure out where the remaining excesses are that can be shared. Not only will our planet thank us, it just might be the strongest business model yet.