Why Replace When You Can Repair?

Growing up in the 1980s there was one phrase that was guaranteed to ruin an otherwise fine day: batteries not included. It’s hard to believe in these days of rechargeable everything that there was a time when, unless you had batteries on hand, that little box of potential fun and entertainment was nothing more exciting than a paperweight.

But batteries came with their own problems. Leaving them inside their compartment while your device sat unused in a drawer for months, even years, could lead to them leaking and leaking led to corrosion and corrosion led to landfill.

Or so I thought, for years. And it need not be a leaking battery; sometimes electronics and electricals just stop working, clothing tears or gets badly stained, computers won’t boot, mobile phone screens crack.

Society is encouraged to consider many things – electrical, mechanical, material – disposable. As technology has advanced, so everything has become cheaper, easier to find, and easier to replace. It is a world away from the mid-twentieth century and before, when people were instead expected to repair their clothes, their furniture, their household goods, in order to make them last as long as possible.

And so it does beg the question, why replace something when you could repair it instead? During the pandemic I started watching electronics repair videos on YouTube which in turn led to a rather unhealthy collection of vintage audio equipment, most of it destined for landfill but now working pretty well. It’s a niche, and arguably not a very useful one, but most things can be repaired, given years of extra life, which will ultimately save you money. You could tinker yourself and figure it out, but you could also go along to the monthly Repair-a-Thon at Lancaster Community Makerspace and BayShare Library of Things.

Bringing together skilled volunteers from Sewing Café Lancaster, Sunflower Cycles, Control Alt Repeat, and Lancaster and Morecambe Repair Café, the Repair-a-Thon could help fix anything from clothing and bikes to electricals, computers, phones and furniture. There’s no need to book, just turn up with your item, enjoy expert support, and help keep more usable goods out of landfill. Donations are welcome to support the project and new volunteers are always encouraged to get involved. 

The next event is on Tuesday 11th August between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, at Lancaster Community Makerspace, Harpers Mill, White Cross Business Park, South Road, Lancaster.