From Lisbon to the World: How Will the "Reuse" Model Reshape Urban Consumption Scenarios?

Imagine a sunny afternoon where you don't need to buy an expensive drilling machine; you can easily rent one through an app. Your closet is no longer filled with clothes worn only a few times but offers the possibility to rent the latest fashion items at any time. You can even learn to repair beloved old items with other residents in the community's "Repair Cafe." This is the vision of urban life brought about by the "reuse" model. Of course, this model also faces challenges such as changing consumer habits and ensuring product quality. This article will take you into the "reuse" wave led by Lisbon, explore how it reshapes urban consumption scenarios, and look forward to its future on a global scale.

Introduction: Lisbon's "Reuse" Wave

Lisbon, the vibrant capital of Portugal, has emerged as a pioneer city in the field of sustainable development in recent years, becoming a leader in the "reuse" model. Strolling through the streets of Lisbon, you can see Gira shared bicycles everywhere. According to official data, their average daily usage rate is as high as 8 times, far exceeding other European cities. The LX Market is crowded with people, and sales are increasing year by year, making it a good place for residents to find bargains. The Lisbon government actively promotes "reuse" projects, encourages citizens to participate, and creates a strong "reuse" atmosphere.

Can Lisbon's experience provide a reference for other cities and promote the transformation of global consumption patterns? This will be the core issue discussed in this article.

What is the "Reuse" Model?

To understand how the "reuse" model reshapes urban consumption scenarios, it is first necessary to clarify its definition. Reuse refers to the collective activities that extend the lifespan of products or items in various ways, maximizing their value before they are discarded.

The core features of the "reuse" model are: sustainability (reducing resource consumption and environmental pollution), economic efficiency (reducing consumer costs and creating new business opportunities), and ease of access and use (providing convenient sharing, rental, and trading channels).

The "reuse" model mainly includes the following types:

• Sharing Economy: Sharing idle resources (such as houses, cars, skills) through platforms to improve utilization. For example, Airbnb reduces housing vacancy rates, and Uber makes more effective use of private car resources.
• Rental Model: Providing the right to use products rather than ownership, meeting consumers' short-term needs and reducing resource waste. For example, the clothing rental platform Rent the Runway allows consumers to experience various fashionable clothes at a lower cost.
• Second-hand Market: Buying and selling second-hand items through online or offline platforms to extend the lifespan of products. For example, the second-hand e-commerce platform Xianyu allows idle items to find value again.
• Refurbishment and Repair: Refurbishing or repairing old products to restore their function or give them a new lease of life. For example, Apple officially provides iPhone refurbishment services to extend the product lifecycle.
• Product Sharing: Providing product sharing services through communities or institutions, such as libraries and toy libraries.

Why Do Cities Need "Reuse"?

Cities are the main places for resource consumption and waste generation. The "reuse" model is crucial for the sustainable development of cities. It not only brings significant environmental benefits but also promotes economic development and social progress.

• Environmental Benefits:
  • Reduce Resource Consumption and Waste: Producing a new T-shirt requires about 2700 liters of water (data source: United Nations Environment Programme), which is equivalent to the total amount of drinking water for one person for three years. In addition, it also requires a lot of land and the use of chemical dyes, which pollute the environment. "Reuse" can effectively reduce the demand for new resources, thereby protecting the Earth's resources.
  • Reduce Carbon Emissions and Pollution: The production process generates a lot of carbon emissions and pollutants. "Reuse" reduces production demand by extending the lifespan of products, thereby reducing carbon emissions and pollution.
• Economic Benefits:
  • Reduce Consumer Costs: The "reuse" model provides more affordable consumption choices. For example, buying second-hand goods is usually much cheaper than buying new ones.
  • Create New Business Opportunities and Jobs: The "reuse" model has spawned new business models, such as sharing platforms, rental services, and second-hand trading platforms. These emerging industries have created a large number of jobs. According to a 2021 report by the European Commission, the circular economy is expected to create 700,000 new jobs by 2030, mainly concentrated in waste management, recycling, and repair, with an expected increase of 0.8%. For example, Shanghai increased tax revenue by more than 1 billion yuan per year in 2022 by encouraging the development of second-hand car transactions.
• Social Benefits:
  • Promote Community Sharing and Mutual Assistance: The sharing economy encourages people to share resources and strengthen community connections. For example, the Prinzessinnengärten community shared garden in Berlin's Kreuzberg district is jointly managed by local residents, covering an area of 0.6 hectares, and attracts more than 300 volunteers to participate. It not only provides fresh vegetables but also promotes communication and cooperation among community residents.
  • Raise Public Environmental Awareness: The "reuse" model makes people more aware of resource consumption and environmental issues, thereby raising environmental awareness. More and more consumers are starting to choose to buy sustainable products and support environmentally friendly companies.

Case Studies: Practices in Lisbon and Other Cities

Lisbon has made many beneficial attempts in "reuse". For example, Lisbon has a well-established Gira shared bicycle system, which is convenient for citizens to travel and reduces traffic congestion and air pollution. Lisbon's LX Factory market is also very active, where people can find all kinds of second-hand goods, from clothing to furniture. In addition, many repair cafes have sprung up in Lisbon, where people can learn to repair various items and extend the lifespan of products.

(To be added: Interview content with local Lisbon residents or project负责人 - currently contacting relevant people)

In addition to Lisbon, other cities are also actively exploring the "reuse" model:

• Amsterdam's Circular Economy: Amsterdam is committed to building a circular economy city, encouraging companies to adopt circular design, reduce waste, and improve resource utilization. For example, Amsterdam's "Jeans Tee" project transforms waste jeans into new textiles, recycling more than 6,000 tons of waste jeans every year and creating more than 50 jobs.
• Copenhagen's Sustainable Development: Copenhagen is one of the most livable cities in the world, and its sustainable development strategy covers all fields such as energy, transportation, and construction. For example, the proportion of bicycle travel in Copenhagen is as high as 50%, which greatly reduces carbon emissions. Copenhagen has also achieved significant results in building energy conservation. By promoting green roofs, external wall insulation, and other technologies, it can reduce energy consumption by more than 15% every year. In terms of waste disposal, Copenhagen has implemented a "zero waste" plan, converting more than 90% of waste into energy through sorting, recycling, and incineration power generation.

Many successful cases have also emerged in different types of "reuse" models:

• Clothing Rental Platform Rent the Runway: Provides rental services for high-end clothing, allowing consumers to experience various fashionable clothes at a lower cost and reducing clothing waste.
• Electronics Refurbishment Market Back Market: Provides refurbished electronic products at a lower price than new products while extending the lifespan of the products.
• Furniture Rental Platform Feather: Provides high-quality furniture rental services to meet young people's needs for flexible living and avoid furniture idling and waste.
• Tool Sharing Platform NeighborGoods: Allows neighbors to share tools and other items, reducing resource waste and promoting community mutual assistance.

Challenges and Opportunities of the "Reuse" Model

Although the "reuse" model has many advantages, it also faces some challenges:

• Changing Consumer Habits: Many consumers are still accustomed to buying new products and have concerns about second-hand goods or rental services. According to McKinsey's "Global Consumer Survey Report" released in 2023, although 66% of consumers said they were interested in sustainable products, only 28% actually bought second-hand goods.
• Product Quality and Safety Issues: The quality of second-hand goods or refurbished products is difficult to guarantee, and there are potential safety hazards.
• Lack of Regulatory Policies: The lack of regulatory policies for the "reuse" model can easily lead to market chaos.

However, the "reuse" model also contains huge opportunities:

• Technological Innovation: Blockchain technology can be used to trace the source and quality of second-hand goods, establish transparent transaction records, and solve trust issues. The Internet of Things technology can be used to monitor the use of rental products, detect and deal with problems in a timely manner, and improve service quality.
• Policy Support: Governments around the world are increasing their support for the circular economy and sustainable development, and have introduced a series of tax incentives and subsidy policies. For example, the EU plans to launch the "Sustainable Product Eco-design Directive" in 2024, which will put forward higher requirements for the durability, repairability, and recyclability of products, and provide subsidies to companies that meet the standards, with the subsidy amount up to 20% of the product price.
• Growth in Consumer Demand: More and more consumers are starting to pay attention to environmental issues and are willing to choose "reuse" products and services.

How to Promote the "Reuse" Model?

In order to better promote the "reuse" model, we can start from the following aspects:

• Policy Recommendations:
  • Formulate Relevant Laws and Regulations: Clarify the quality standards and safety requirements of "reuse" products and standardize market behavior. We can learn from Germany's "Circular Economy Law," which details the requirements for product design, production, sales, recycling, and reuse, and clarifies the responsibilities of producers, sellers, and consumers.
  • Provide Financial Support and Subsidies: Provide tax incentives and subsidies to "reuse" companies to reduce operating costs. For example, the French government provides subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles and bicycles, with the subsidy amount up to 5,000 euros, and the application conditions include vehicle type, purchase price, and household income.
  • Strengthen Public Education and Promotion: Improve public awareness and acceptance of the "reuse" model.
• Business Model Innovation:
  • Develop New Products and Services: Develop personalized "reuse" products and services for the needs of different consumers. For example, for high-end consumers, we can provide customized second-hand goods refurbishment services, including cleaning, maintenance, repair, and personalized design.
  • Establish Online and Offline Platforms: Create convenient sharing, rental, and trading platforms to facilitate consumer participation. Online platforms can provide services such as product search, online payment, logistics distribution, and credit evaluation. Offline platforms can provide services such as product display, experience, repair, and recycling.
  • Strengthen Brand Building and Marketing: Establish a good image of the "reuse" brand to attract more consumers. Brand positioning can emphasize the environmental protection, economy, and fashion characteristics of the product. Brand Logo design can use green, circular, and other elements. Brand promotion can be carried out through social media, environmental protection activities, and public welfare cooperation.
• Public Participation:
  • Encourage Consumers to Choose "Reuse" Products and Services: Prioritize buying second-hand goods or renting products to reduce the demand for new products. When buying second-hand goods, you can carefully check the quality of the goods and choose reputable merchants. When choosing a rental platform, you can pay attention to the platform's security measures and user reviews.
  • Support Community "Reuse" Projects: Actively participate in community shared gardens, repair cafes, and other projects to create a "reuse" atmosphere together.
  • Raise Environmental Awareness: Learn environmental protection knowledge and practice a green lifestyle.

Conclusion: Reshaping the Future of Urban Consumption

The "reuse" model is an inevitable choice for the sustainable development of cities. It can not only effectively reduce resource consumption and environmental pollution but also promote economic development and social progress. From Lisbon to the world, the "reuse" model is reshaping urban consumption scenarios and changing people's consumption concepts and behaviors.

Looking to the future, with the continuous development of technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, the future "reuse" model will be more intelligent, personalized, and popular. We can use big data to analyze consumer needs and provide personalized "reuse" products and services. Artificial intelligence technology can be used to optimize logistics and distribution and improve efficiency. The "reuse" model has more potential to become a more convenient, efficient, and fashionable way of life.

References:

• United Nations Environment Programme
• European Commission
• McKinsey "Global Consumer Survey Report" (2023)
• German "Circular Economy Law"
• French Government Official Website