Fix it, don’t toss it: Rethink Waste Project celebrates 10th anniversary of Repair Cafés in Central Oregon
(Update: Adding video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Rethink Waste Project, a program of The Environmental Center, is celebrating a big milestone this year: the 10th anniversary of hosting Repair Cafés in the region.
Repair Cafés are free events that connect people with broken stuff to people who like to fix stuff - they’re all about repairing things (together).
To commemorate the 10 year anniversary, RWP is hosting three of these events throughout Deschutes County at new locations. In addition, each event has a little something “extra,” from a clothing exchange to e-waste collections to special guest appearances.
The first two Repair Cafés of 2023 took place in April in Bend at OSU-Cascades with a clothing exchange in partnership with Clothing Connection and in July in Redmond at the High Desert Music Hall with an e-waste collection event.
The final Fall Repair Café of the year will be held on Wednesday, October 11th 5:30-7:30 pm at the Firehouse Community Hall in Sisters, with the Deschutes Public Library. Repair stations for this event will include small appliances, clothing, and gear.
This event will also feature a guest appearance from Kyle Wiens, co-founder and CEO of iFixit and a leader in the Right to Repair movement. Kyle and the pro-repair coalition are working on a bill in Salem and have recently passed laws in New York, Colorado and California.
Right to Repair would make it easier for Oregonians to fix our stuff by requiring manufacturers of consumer electronics and appliances to make parts, tools, and repair documentation available. For more information, visit https://envirocenter.org/tec-events/repair-cafe/.
Repair Café events began here back in 2013, when Environmental Center staff member Denise Rowcroft learned about the idea of the Repair Café from community members.
“Someone reached out and left some resources about Repair Café International on my desk one day,” recalls Denise. “A few months later, Portland had its first Repair Café, and my neighbor (and artist, upcycled sewer, sock darner extraordinaire) Lloyd McMullen left me a copy of The Oregonian that featured that first event. It had been gaining traction and interest in the world of materials management, so I reached out to friends and started planning the first event!”
Since then, 955 items have been brought to the Repair Café. Volunteers fixed 629 of them and gave DIY instructions to fix another 141 items, keeping precious materials out of landfills and in use.
The concept of the Repair Café is not new, nor are they unique to Central Oregon; in fact, the first Repair Café took place in Amsterdam in 2009. Repair Cafés aim to empower attendees to keep their items out of the landfill and learn DIY skills from volunteer mentors, called “fixers.” Past fixer volunteers have lent their talents in sewing, small appliance repair, bike maintenance, metallurgy, woodworking, and more.
Russell Simpson, a volunteer fixer, is often found upcycling materials and turning them back into something useful.
Russell shares, “fixing things is an excellent way to reduce waste, consumerism, and reliance on industry. You can reduce pollution, save money, learn skills, and have the pride of doing something yourself.”
Another dedicated fixer, Elaine Cole, grew up with fixing as part of daily life: “My parents modeled the repair ethic for me. We had little disposable income so we were always taught to maintain our clothes and gear, keep it clean and repair or mend to extend the lifespan.”
If you are someone who enjoys fixing broken stuff, with a skill to share at one of these events, the Rethink Waste Project is always looking for volunteers! Fixer volunteers can sign up via the following volunteer interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_enaxwRVrd34xqAY4DppFVADZf5uVpMuJEFpolg-yJ5-_4w/viewform
No RSVP is required for attendance at Repair Café. Questions about Repair Café, or the Rethink Waste Project, can be directed to Udara via email - udara@envirocenter.org - or phone - 541-508-5439.
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About The Environmental Center
The Environmental Center’s mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. We translate sustainability into practical, local action in order to create a healthy future for people and the planet. We are focused on building community, educating kids, revolutionizing energy, rethinking waste, and advocating for change. Learn more at www.envirocenter.org or by visiting our facility at 16 NW Kansas Ave. in downtown Bend, Oregon.
