Launched in 2011, JupYeah is an online platform where people can exchange and swap unwanted goods in order to reduce waste, promote reuse and tackle the problem of overconsumption. Under the motto “Consume Less, Share Better”, JupYeah promotes values of sustainable living and hopes to develop a caring and sharing economy.
The Challenges
Hong Kong’s materialistic society is highly wasteful and incurs significant environmental and social consequences. A survey by Greenpeace (2016) suggested that Hong Kong has some of the most wasteful shopping habits in the world, where people tend to spend excessively on material goods and purchase more than they need. Socially-minded companies and individuals are increasingly committed to developing a sharing economy in order to tackle the vicious cycle of overconsumption and reorient society from the idea of ownership to the idea of sharing resources (skills, goods, services or capital). A major challenge is to normalise societal views on using second-hand goods.
The Solution
JupYeah aims to tackle the problem of overconsumption and waste by developing a community for goods redistribution. Established after a semi-public swap party held in 2011 and a series of seasonal pop-up public swapping events, JupYeah aims to streamline the give-and-take process to make it as easy as possible to use and obtain second-hand items. Registered members can upload and list their unwanted goods for an exchange token, which can then be used as currency for items chosen from a listing of goods uploaded by other members on its online platform. Through the online platform, JupYeah achieves waste reduction by extending the life cycle of unwanted goods and items. JupYeah also launched the Shareables by JupYeah initiative in 2014 to distribute useful goods gathered on the online platform to underprivileged groups, through partnerships with non-profit organisations and social workers. Members listing their unwanted items on the online platform can opt to indicate their willingness to arrange delivery straight to those in need. In return, members receive a new token to exchange for other listed items. The Shareables platform further addresses overconsumption by tackling material inequality to encourage those with more affluent lifestyles to share goods with those in need.
The Impact
JupYeah is one of Hong Kong’s largest organisation dedicated to sharing and swapping items to reduce unnecessary consumption. The website has 8,700 “juppers” registered and there have been 10,140 transactions in 2020 alone. Through its online platform JupYeah.com and regular swapping events held every year, JupYeah normalises societal views on using second-hand products by helping users find new value in the unwanted goods of others. In collaboration with organisations such as Hong Kong Christian Service, the International Social Service Hong Kong, Caritas, AddOilMusic and Clearview HK, the Shareables by JupYeah initiative extends the benefits of a sharing economy to the underprivileged. JupYeah also organises talks, workshops and documentary screenings to further encourage people to reflect on their own consumption patterns and the wider environmental, social and economic impacts of overconsumption.
Reference
"Greenpeace Releases Hong Kong and Taiwan Consumer Report.” Greenpeace East Asia. 28 June 2016. https://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/press/1892/greenpeace-releases-hong-kong-and-taiwan-consumer-report/. Accessed 7 January 2021.
