Our society generally operates in a take-make-break-toss model. We take a resource, wood from a tree or metal from the ground for example, make it into something that we need (or often that we don’t need!), and when it breaks, we throw it out. We do this repetitively without thought for the resources and energy used to make the item. This type of approach is contributing to the environmental decline that we find ourselves living in. It contributes to climate change via the emissions associated with ‘taking’ the resources, ‘making’ the resources, and ‘breaking (or using)’ the resources. When we simply toss the item away, we are also throwing away the embodied energy and resources that were used to make it.
There is fortunately a growing trend towards more responsible use of resources – a shift from a linear economy towards a circular economy. For example, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the government released a draft ‘Circular Economy Strategy 2022-2025’ for public consultation, and are now in the process of finalising the strategy. The priority areas include food and organics, the built environment, consumer goods and problematic waste streams. The strategy highlights the need to move from a linear economic model (current model), to a circular economic model in which things like repair, reuse and recycling prominently feature. In a circular economy resources are perpetually reused, with minimal permanent disposal. It is highly encouraging to see a shift towards a more responsible use of our precious resources.
There are some amazingly positive initiatives taking place in my local community that all contribute to a circular economy model. One great example is the Tuggeranong Repair Café. The Repair Café is run by a group of volunteers from the Tuggeranong SEE Change Group. SEE change is a ‘grass-roots sustainability organization…focused on making beneficial changes to our Society, Environment and Economy (SEE) in order to live more sustainably.’ (Quote from SEE Change Website)
The Tuggeranong Repair Café launched in November 2020 and aims to:
- fix items in preference to throwing them into landfill.
- reduce the need for people to buy brand new items (which is great for the environment and your bank account!).
- provide a place for social connection.
- build community networks.
The Repair Café runs on the last Sunday of every month (except December and January) and is open from 1-4pm. It offers free repairs with a wide variety of services available including:
- Sewing
- Electrical
- Mechanical
- Garden equipment
- Bikes
- Toys
- Jewellery
- Apple IT products
- General IT products
- Knife sharpening
- Garden tool sharpening
- Engraving
- Justice of the Peace service
Repairers fix what they can, provide guidance on future repairs and provide advice on what parts are needed and where to buy them if required. Parts must be purchased by the individual. Repairers don’t simply aim to fix items, they also strive to empower people to fix their own. They talk through techniques and upskill customers to conduct repairs at home. For example, customers who bring knives for sharpening will receive a lesson and can practice sharpening their own knives at the café. Newer repair volunteers also receive mentorship from more experienced repairers to gain skills and confidence in completing their own repairs.
The Repair Café also includes a food café. It serves refreshments to the public and provides free lunch to volunteers as a way of thanking them for their time. It adds a lovely atmosphere to the event where people can enjoy a cuppa and home baked treats while they eagerly await their turn to fix their precious items. It provides a nice environment for building social connections in the community.
A Recycling Hub is another core feature of the café. People can bring ‘hard to recycle’ items that can’t go into kerbside bins. Volunteers coordinate the distribution of items to collection hubs across Canberra. Countless kilograms of waste have been collected through the hub for recycling rather than being tossed into the bin. Items that can be recycled include:
- Plastic Lids with recycling numbers 2, 4 and 5 – must be clean with foam inserts removed
- Metal lids – beer, wine and jar lids
- Batteries
- Medicine blister packs
- Plastic bread tags
- Reading glasses and cases
- Socks
- Sport balls
- Dental products – toothpaste, toothbrush, floss containers (all empty)
- Beauty products – empty
- Corks
- Plastic razors
- Metal keys
- Small e-waste items – phones, mice, cables
As well as repair volunteers, there is a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure the monthly event is a success. Liz and Kirsty are the coordinators and are the brains behind the operation. They do a wonderful job managing all things logistics, including venue hire, promotion, set-up/pack-up, coordinating the recycling hub, managing volunteer attendance, surveys, reporting and finances. They spend countless unpaid hours behind the scenes to ensure the monthly café is a success.
“Repair Cafes are such a wonderful resource for any community in bringing people together and learning from each other. We are so proud to be one of the now 6 Repair Cafes in Canberra in what is a growing movement that normalises repair and reuse of our everyday items. Our skilled and experienced repairers, and event volunteers are the real stars, and we couldn’t run such a rewarding event without them.”
Kirsty Young
There are also several generalist volunteers who help to manage attendance, queues, refreshments, set-up and pack-up, surveys and managing the recycling hub. I enjoy volunteering in these roles at the repair café. It is nice to meet other community members and to contribute towards keeping valuable resources out of landfill!
So far there have been 21 repair events, with an average of at least 50 members of the public attending each event. The biggest event hosted 110 people back in October 2022! It is a popular and in-demand service for the local community. The atmosphere is happy and relaxed and there are many repeat customers who enjoy the service. After an item is fixed, people can celebrate by having a photo with the ‘fixed sign’ and share the good news with others. The community are also very generous and often leave donations to support the Repair Cafés endeavours. Donations are used for things like purchasing power boards, extension cords, and other useful repair equipment.
The Repair Café is moving to a brand-new location for the next event on 30 July 2023. Come along to the ‘Impact Community Hub, 200 Clive Steele Avenue, Monash, ACT’ for the opening launch from 1-4pm! There will be E-Bikes to test, a few market stalls to browse, lively music and delicious food available from Miss Mustards Cookies. The new venue is larger and will enable the café to continue to grow as our society progresses to a circular economy model.
“The new location has an outdoor area providing more opportunities for broken items such as lawn mowers, whipper snippers and bikes to be fixed. It is accessible, has a large café for conversations and social connections, and a space for children to play outside.”
Liz Stephens
Overall, the Tuggeranong Repair Café is making a major contribution to improve the local environment and is a fantastic initiative to bring the community together. If you live in or near the ACT, I encourage you to visit the Repair Café. Bring an item along to give it a new lease of life, drop-off some recycling, or simply join in on the action to see how it all works. By doing this, you will be making your own local impact on the environment.
Photo Credit: Photos taken by Kirsty Young and Liz Stephens and used with permission.
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