Lifestyle
Fix it
What
Culture changes fast. Not long ago, there was an avid repair industry and a strong mentality of 'make do and mend'. But today's throw-away society is putting a strain on our planet, not to mention our wallets.
Let's change that.
Next time something in your home is acting up, why not see if you can fix it instead of chuck it? Not only will you be surprised how easy it can be, you’ll be amazed how satisfying it feels.
Why
Extracting resources and manufacturing new gadgets creates lots of carbon. Take the iPhone 6: 85% of its entire lifecycle's carbon footprint comes from its manufacture, not from using it .1
Importing our new gadgets across the sea uses a large amount of fossil fuels too. Shipping to the UK accounts for around 3% of all the carbon emissions this country generates.
How
Here are some of our favourite fixers:
- Clothes: Holes, tears, broken zippers and moth-attacks - clothes are forever getting into trouble. Seeing as ‘fast fashion’ is fast becoming, well, out of fashion, now’s the perfect time to learn how to mend the items you already own and love. There are lots of places to get help on bringing new life to your old clothes. Love Your Clothes is a great online trove of tips. If you'd rather some hands-on support, then have a google for workshops in your area. There are loads available around the country, from Stitched Up in Manchester to Thrifty Couture in London.
- General bits and bobs: Smashed a plate? Broken a handle? Snapped something off... something else? Your home is full of things that are easy to break… and easy to fix! We're massive fans of Sugru, a play-doh like rubber that sets hard and can be used to fix anything from sauce-pan lids to iPhone cables to ski boots. The encyclopedic Instructables is an amazing source of help and ideas for fixing almost anything (or turning REALLY broken things into fabulous new things).
- Electronics: iFixIt is a great site crammed with repair guides for all things tech, from toasters to PCs to trucks. If hands on training and support is what you're after, The Restart Project has you covered, running workshops on electrical repairs.
