RTE interview on Repair and Climate action

CRNI was delighted to speak to Miriam O’Callaghan today on RTE Radio 1 about pop up repair cafes, reviving the repair culture and the climate impact of reuse and repair as part of RTE’s focus on climate action this week. To listen back to the interview click here.

CRNI would like to encourage everyone to prioritise repair by:

• Trying to repair before replacing – nearly 65% of items brought in for repair to repair cafes can be fixed easily. Try a professional at repairmystuff.ie or learn how to repair yourself. Many repairs are very simple to do with a little knowledge. Learn more through courses e.g. with CRNI member the Rediscovery Centre, or give it a go yourself with ifixit online instructions.
• Maintaining your stuff – most repairs undertaken at repair cafes are due to poor maintenance. Descaling, tightening loose screws and lubricating joints can go a long way to prevent damage or breakages.
• Supporting better design – Try to buy items that are durable and repairable when making your next purchasing decision. The European Commission is working to support consumers with recently introduced ecodesign legislation requiring that producers design longer lasting products and provide supply parts for up to 10 years after purchase. These regulations will apply to household appliances including lighting, TVs, fridges, washing machines and dishwashers. The Commission is also developing a repair-ability scoring that will be used in labelling products in the future to signal to consumers how easily repairable an item is.

For more information on any of the above see the Repaircafe.org repair monitor report.

Happy fixing!

• November 12, 2019