I came across this company in the UK who are releasing an open source hydrogen fuel cell car, while researching alternative fuels. I wanted to share a couple of quotes… The car doesn’t interest me so much as the business model: they recognise that most people don’t necessarily want an object (the car) that simply depreciates, they just want to be able to move around. Thus, they are moving away from the idea of car ownership- they say “Car manufacturers make money from selling cars and parts- which rewards obsolescence and high running costs”- they want to move towards leasing vehicles- which “rewards longevity and low running costs”- the car manufacturers take responsibility for the car, it’s fuel, and fixing it up.

They go onto say:

“we can never achieve a sustainable system whilst the interests of one stakeholder group, such as shareholders legally trumps the interests of society or the environment.”

Nail on the head I think- the interests of the highest earners dictates our overall direction, (as opposed to what a society wants) the desirable direction, for those high earners being to earn even more. Thus we have a never ending cycle.

http://www.riversimple.com/