Sometimes it could be the smallest, seemingly most insignificant thing, like the comma button falling off your laptop. It turns out to be one of those things that no matter how hard you try to reattach it, nothing works. And when you take it into the nearest business supply and computer shop and ask them to fix it, the response is usually the only solution is to get a new computer.
Sadly, this exchange is familiar to many of us. Living in a time of planned obsolescence, we are the most intense consumer culture to ever hit the planet. When our things break, it’s tempting to throw them out rather than taking the time to fix them, and manufacturers don’t make it easy for us. By employing tricky tactics like gluing batteries into their devices or leaving repair instructions out of the operating manuals for the appliances we buy, manufacturers encourage a system that sees us replacing a product that could have years of operation left. Add to this our cultural values of considering ‘new and improved’ as better than yesterday’s model, and we have a big problem.
Thankfully a new movement is afoot where repair enthusiasts are welcomed and revered. The fixer movement, led by screwdriver-wielding souls who are undaunted by a lack of instructions, has the goal of adding ‘repair’ as the forth ‘r’ alongside reduce, reuse, recycle—and it’s gaining momentum.
Repair Cafés: Coming to a Community Near You
Possibly the most widely recognised element of the fixer movement is the “repair café.” Repair cafés are not-for-profit workshops held in various community venues, where people can bring their broken gizmos and gadgets to learn how to fix them from volunteers who have the skills to do the repairs. There seems to be no limit to the type of things that are being fixed in these venues, from vacuums to bikes to clothing to computers, there always seems to be someone who has the know-how.
The cafés got their start in the Netherlands, and they are now popping up across the globe. According to repaircafe.org, 1159 repair cafes regularly take place across six continents and 29 countries. These range from Australia and the UK, right on through to the US. This September, a repair cafe made its way into Ghana, located in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
Repair cafés are also places where generations can build off each other’s skill sets. For example, older generations are often better with sewing than the younger generation, who tend to be more natural with electronics. There are many talents to draw from in a community.
But repair cafés aren’t the only way to participate in the fixer movement. Websites offering advice and instruction on how to fix things are also making it possible for people to get handy. Sites like fixya.com allow you to find out how to do your own repairs in a wide variety of areas, such as fixing computer products, cameras, and automobiles. On ifixit.com, an apparel section tells how to fix clothing, eyeglasses, and shoes, among other things. One post asking how to patch a pair of jeans receives 12 answers.
Fixers Set the Wheels of Change in Motion
Thanks to grassroots community efforts, the fixer movement is flourishing around the world. It is also receiving a leg up from some political leaders. Sweden’s is the first government to offer tax incentives for fixers. Starting in 2017, the country will provide a 50 percent tax refund for repairs to appliances such as refrigerators, stoves and washing machines, as well as a cut in sales tax for repairs on smaller objects. This will reduce the typical tax from 25 percent to 12 percent.
In the US, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a Right to Repair law in 2012 pertaining to automobiles. Last year, four more states started considering Right to Repair laws, which require manufacturers to provide product repair information to consumers. Although that process is still in the works, more states are expected to join in this year.
In March of 2015, the French government passed legislation to protect consumers from poorly made products by making it mandatory for manufacturers of electrical appliances to provide a two-year warranty on their products—at the minimum. The legislation also compels manufacturers to make parts available for repairs after the guarantee period expires.
Be the Change
We don’t have to give in to planned obsolescence and spending our money for a quick replacement. It is OK to step off the consumer treadmill.
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