W(u)eShare – A lending and swap cabinet for social interaction
News
Just in time for the summer term, ‘die SpieleBoxx’, the new digital lending cabinet, has been installed and stocked on the Hubland Nord campus.
Location: Emil-Hilb-Weg 22, 97074 Würzburg
Whether it’s Viking chess, volleyballs or Frisbees – from now on, the games and outdoor equipment inside can be borrowed free of charge! Ideal for having a good time with the items, either on your own or with others, during a break, or for winding down a stressful day at university or work in a relaxed way.
Getting started is quick and easy with the chayns app
or via the link.
For detailed instructions (German/English).
W(u)eShare – Getting involved through participation – A lending and swap cabinet for social interaction
The student-led project W(u)eShare responds to the desire for greater social interaction amongst students and university staff, and combines this with a diverse and sustainable use of the campus grounds. Specifically, so-called lending and exchange cabinets will offer items for loan and exchange in an accessible manner; these items are designed to encourage or require shared use, thereby fostering social interaction. At the same time, this allows new, sustainable consumption practices to be trialled, characterised not by ownership of items but by temporary access to them. Shared use also reduces the environmental impact caused by the production and consumption of additional items for which there is no demand due to a lack of need. The project thus aligns with the concept of the ‘sharing economy’. This is not aimed at generating profit, but rather at increasing the utilisation of items through sharing, thereby reducing the need to produce new items.
The project seeks to establish collaborations with partners who can provide both technical and financial support. The first step is to find a suitable location that is ideally suited to the use of the items, is accessible to all and is sheltered from the elements. Once the cupboards have been acquired, the plan is for students and university staff to have the opportunity, through a participatory process, to help decide which items are made available for loan. This process is intended to form part of a comprehensive public relations strategy which will also promote the project through various channels and provide information about the underlying ideas and concepts.
The University of Würzburg’s sustainability laboratory, WueLAB, will be involved in an advisory capacity at every stage of the project. The scientific link is also provided through WueLAB. The project will run for one year.
Contact: Timo Stiller
Email: wueshare@uni-wuerzburg.de
