Do you have any cherished items that you can’t bear to part with, but they need repair to be part of what brings you joy every day? Or maybe you just can’t bear the wastefulness of pitching something that ought to be easy to repair? Think of family heirlooms, a power tool with a cut cord, a once-reliable toaster, or a wonderful but broken picture frame.
I have a lamp that my mom and dad bought at a Goodwill Thrift Store as newlyweds when they were so poor that I slept in the bottom drawer of their dresser. It reminds me of where they started and of the long climb they made in order for me to be able to do what I do now. The lamp is priceless.
Unfortunately, it is also broken.
There’s good news on that front, though. If you need something fixed—or perhaps you are one of those “tinkerers” who loves to fix things—there is a fabulous social entrepreneurship organization I want to turn you on to today!
Have you heard of this movement called The Repair Café?
Repair Cafés are free meeting places where people can bring their broken items from home and, together with on-site specialists who can help, learn how to fix them themselves. There are now over 2,500 Repair Cafés around the world, and they are a great place to restore something to good use, as well as meet some cool people.
Of course, by fixing broken items, the Repair Café also gives things a longer life and helps avoid the landfill—so as a bonus, you and I can sleep a little better knowing we’re doing our part for the environment! Plus, if you really want a spring in your step, you can consider the fact that if we repair rather than replace, the energy and emissions from the manufacturing of new products are avoided.
If you’d like to volunteer your time or need your treasured lamp working again, see if there is a Repair Café near you.
Their website is great. They have an interactive map that allows you to quickly find the nearest group, volunteer as a “fixer,” or even start your own local group. I even found one in Burlington, Vermont, which is a smallish city about 40 minutes away; there is probably one near you too!
Don’t have a local Repair Café?
Even if there isn’t, though, if you want to get started with tapping into your neighborhood for repairs, recycling, and the whole world of extended use, here is an amazing interview I did with a master of harnessing the power of neighborhoods: Championing Radical Neighborliness with Michael Wood-Lewis (Episode #151)
Additionally, if you have a penchant for upcycling or finding great stuff in the world of textiles and fabrics, we also have a great video interview with the founder of FabScrap, an amazing social enterprise that is making strides in the world of sustainability: 10,000 Volunteers Fighting the Waste Created by Fast Fashion with Jessica Schreiber (Episode #113)
It always feels good to know we’re doing our part for our planet—and getting use out of an old item you used to love again, like my parents’ old lamp, is a great added bonus!
Stay open, curious, and hopeful!
-Dr. Lynda
