However, with just 5% of the UK public alone fully understanding what the sharing economy is.

不過，在英國也只有 5% 的人完全了解「分享經濟」是什麼。

Here is a brief guide to what it actually means to you and me:

接下來我們要簡單介紹，分享經濟對你我而言代表什麼：

Let's start right at the beginning.

讓我們從頭說起。

We've been sharing things for thousands of years, with neighbors lending each other foods, borrowing tools, and allowing friends to stay whenever they need a place to crash.

人類彼此分享已經上千年了，可能是跟借鄰居食物或是借用工具，也可能是讓一個需要睡覺的朋友待在自己的家。

This isn't a new thing and with new technology, the sharing economy is enabling this human trade to grow, and enable both local and international transactions.

這不是一個全新的概念，但有了新科技後，分享經濟讓人們彼此間的交易變多，也能夠完成當地甚至國際的交易。

Today, there are thousands of sharing economy websites which would give you the options to share, well, almost anything.

現在已經有上千個分享經濟的網站，提供你許多選擇能夠分享幾乎任何東西。

For example, say you have a spare room for a week which you'd like to rent out, or maybe you need to travel across country.

例如，你可能有一間空房可以出租一個禮拜，或是你剛好要出國旅行。

The sharing economy means you can see who else in your city is making the same journey, and grab a ride!

分享經濟讓你可以看看誰跟你在同一個城市中旅行，然後一起搭個便車！

It's not all about the money, many at the transactions that pass through the sharing economy do so without cash ever changing hands.

這也不全都和錢有關，很多分享經濟間的交易是沒有經手現金的。

After all, the more we spend, the more we consume, and the more we waste.

畢竟，我們花越多，消費越多，就浪費越多。

Mankind's obsession with ownership appears to be at a tipping point, and the sharing economy is perhaps the beginning of the antidote.

人類對擁有物品的渴求似乎已到最高峰，分享經濟或許是能解決這一切的開端。

In 2013 alone, the UK benefited from 4.6 billion pounds of savings and earnings from the sharing economy.

光在 2013 年，英國就從分享經濟當中省下了 46 億英鎊。

And this is only set to grow.

這只是個開始。

So the next time you have a room going spare, or an empty seat in your car, or a talent you think others can benefit from.

所以下次要是你有空房，或者是車上有個空位，或者有個他人可以從中學習的才能。

If you choose to share it, then you'll be adding to this new, and vibrating economy.

如果你決定一起分享，你就加入了這個新的、生氣蓬勃的經濟體系。