( CNN ) -- We are not living up to the promise of the American Dream . Even now , our leaders are talking about cutting , instead of creating jobs to grow our way out of the deficit . Congress is ignoring big problems , congratulating itself on avoiding a fiscal cliff of its own creation . The federal budget props up broken parts of our economic system -- big banks , big polluters and big defense contractors -- instead of investing in areas such as education and infrastructure that would benefit everyone . Now , a new breed of companies is leveraging the power of networks and sharing -- and showing us what a more sustainable , prosperous future can look like . One of the most well-known examples is Zipcar . Its tagline , `` wheels when you want them , '' pretty much sums up the company . Zipcar was just bought by rental giant Avis Budget Group for nearly $ 500 million as part of Avis ' push to compete with Hertz 's and Enterprise 's new car-sharing services . The demographics of car-sharing customers holds promise for future growth as younger , tech-savvy consumers tend to prefer sharing services . Then there is Mosaic , a new addition to the share economy . Mosaic just launched the first online clean energy investment marketplace . ( Full disclosure : I am an uncompensated adviser to the company . ) Here 's how it works : Mosaic connects investors to solar projects in need of financing . The projects generate revenue by selling the electricity they generate , which allows the investors to get paid back with interest . Through the company , you can pick a solar project that you like , make an investment for as little as $ 25 and get returns starting at 4.5 % annually . Of course , as with nearly any investment that is n't federally insured , there 's a risk involved . Instead of earning close to nothing on your money at a bank , you can directly invest in things that offer solid returns and create real or lasting value . Together , consumers can start rebuilding the economy from the community up . Together , we can crowdsource investments in American infrastructure and create 21st-century energy jobs all by ourselves . The mega-banks that financed the fossil fuel era are n't well matched to the emerging clean energy economy , which is more decentralized . There are enough rooftops In Los Angeles alone to create 5 gigawatts of clean power . Instead of two mega coal plants , the energy could come from hundreds of thousands of people , all making money by selling energy from their roofs and contributing to a more sustainable and resilient energy grid . Warren Buffett 's MidAmerican Energy made news last week with its investment of more than $ 2 billion in two solar power plants in California . But you know who has more money than even Buffett ? All of us combined . All of us who are looking to invest responsibly and grow clean energy are a powerful force for change . In some cities , the demand for car-sharing services is so great that people are renting out their personal cars through services such as RelayRides and Getaround . San Francisco 's Scoot aims to be the Zipcar of electric scooters . Services such as Airbnb and CouchSurfing allow people to rent their homes or rooms to strangers vetted by their peers . Through TaskRabbit and Fiverr , anyone can hire a personal assistant to run errands or complete more complex tasks such as accounting for your small business . These sharing services are proving that sharing is n't just for the do-gooders anymore -- it can make you real money . Airbnb hosts make an average of $ 6,000 per year for renting out their homes . People who loan cars through Relay Rides generally make enough to cover their monthly car payments . And a few people are making $ 5,000 per month just from completing tasks through TaskRabbit . A few months after the Move Your Money campaign launched in 2011 , and on the heels of a controversy surrounding debit card fees , more than 650,000 people turned to opening credit union accounts . Today , environmentalists such as Bill McKibben and his 350.org are leading the charge for divesting from big polluters . The opportunity for people-driven , shareable , sustainable business does n't stop with solar or transportation projects . We can invest in American businesses that power our country with all kinds of innovative technologies such as wind turbines , solar panels , geothermal systems , hybrid and electric cars , and next-generation batteries . And we should put Americans to work making our homes and buildings energy-efficient . We need to avoid a lost generation of young people who will be playing economic catch-up their whole lives . We can not stop pressing our leaders to help struggling poor and middle-class Americans . But we can never forget that together , we are a tremendous force for change . As we call on Washington to act , we can also call on each other to create jobs and spark the clean-energy economy of the future -- an economy that works for everyone . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Van Jones .
Van Jones : A new generation of consumers is leveraging the power of sharing . Jones says younger , tech - savvy consumers tend to prefer sharing services . He says opportunities for people - driven , shareable , sustainable businesses are many . Jones : Together , consumers can start changing the economy from the community up .