Repair Culture & the Right to Repair

The most recycled product is the one you never had to throw away. Repair keeps items working and out of the bin.

When a device breaks, replacement feels easy — but making a new one costs raw materials, energy and carbon. Repairing extends its life and is usually the greener, cheaper choice.

The Right to Repair

This movement pushes makers to publish manuals, sell spare parts, and unlock software so owners and shops can fix products. Easier repair means longer-lasting goods and far less e-waste.

Habits That Help

• Fix clothes, phones and appliances before replacing them.
• Support repair cafés and local shops.
• Buy products known to be repairable and built to last.

Repair Before Recycle

Repair sits above recycling in the waste hierarchy for a reason: a working item needs no material at all. Only when repair is truly impossible should something be sorted for recovery.

Related Reading

See reduce, reuse, recycle, zero-waste living, and e-waste & urban mining.

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