Waste Not Want Not – How to Become a Repair Champion!

It is always disappointing when a favourite pair of jeans gets a hole in it, your kid’s toy stops working, or in a more alarming situation, your washing machine stops spinning leading to dreaded handwashing! Should this nightmare scenario eventuate, what can you do?

In general, our society is organised around a throw-away culture. We are happy to buy things more cheaply and when they break, buy another cheap replacement instead of spending the time or money to fix the item. Many manufacturers contribute to this culture by designing products with built in obsolescence or creating products that are challenging to repair.

While acknowledging these challenges exist, there are still things we can do as individuals to become repairers instead of ‘tossers’!

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Step 1

Ask yourself, do I have the skills to repair the item? Perhaps you can sew, or are handy with a screwdriver. If not, who do you know that can help? You may have some skilled family and friends who can try to resurrect your item before ditching it into the bin.

Step 2

Ask a professional. Depending on your item, this option can unfortunately be more expensive than buying a brand-new replacement item. However, it is worth asking for a quote and a professional opinion as to the chances of fixing your item. We opted for this option to fix our washing machine a few years back. It was leaking and not spinning properly. A professional repairer helped to give the machine a new lease of life. Although it wasn’t cheap, it was cheaper than buying a replacement machine. And a better option for the planet.

Step 3

Visit a repair café. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a repair café in their local area, but if you do, they are worth their weight in gold! I volunteer at the Tuggeranong Repair Café, which is part of See Change, a local sustainability organisation in Canberra. It operates once per month at the Tuggeranong Community Centre and offers free repairs. Repairers are all volunteers and offer a range of services including sewing, electrical, computer, gardening tools and equipment, knife sharpening, mechanical, jewellery and bike repairs to name a few.

Griffith University has developed a comprehensive lists of repair cafes around Australia. Scroll to the very bottom of this link to find a location near you.

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If the first three steps don’t provide a solution, it is time to think outside the box!

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Step 4

Consider repurposing your item. For example, if the hole in your jeans is too big, can you use the denim fabric to make something else? I made a library book bag for my son out of an old pair of jeans. Or do you have an old chest of drawers or cabinet that is too chipped for your liking? How about turning it into a toy? You are only limited by your imagination! If creativity is not your strong point, you may like to offer the item on your local Buy Nothing Facebook Group to see if someone else can transform the item from trash to treasure!

Step 5

If step four is not fruitful, the next option is to think about responsible disposal. I always investigate every option before deciding to toss an item into the landfill bin. Can it be recycled? The answer may not be obvious to this question, as presumably your broken item isn’t as simple as an easily recyclable cardboard box! To overcome this challenge I have written a Guide to Recycling for readers to easily locate recycling options for hard-to-recycle items. From e-waste, to textiles, to cosmetics, and sports equipment; hopefully you can find some answers in my guide!

Step 6

Unfortunately, if you are up to step 6, you have likely come to the end of your journey and may need to use the landfill bin. At least you know you have worked hard to prevent this occurrence. If you have dogged determination to see step 6 eventuate less and less in your life, look into the ‘Right to Repair’ movement and read about the ‘Circular Economy’. You may be able to have your say on a consultation paper, join a group to push for progress in these vital areas, or simply become better informed.

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It will take more work to find a new life for your damaged or broken items, but by following these steps instead of immediately tossing it away, you will make your own local impact on the environment.

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