“Why buy when you can rent? This simple question is the foundation stone of a growing number of businesses. Why buy a car (and pay for parking) when you can rent one whenever you need to load up at IKEA? Why buy a bike (and risk having it stolen) when you can pick one up at a bike rack near your home and drop it off at another rack near your office? Why buy a DVD when you can watch it and return it in a convenient envelope? Renting is not a new business, of course. … But for most of the past 50 years renters have been conceding ground to owners. … All this is now changing dramatically, however, thanks to technology, austerity and greenery.”