The Restart Project Podcast

Last year, we had the chance to do something we’ve dreamed about for a while and ran the first trial of vouchers for electrical repair in the UK. The trial was delivered by us and ReLondon, with funding from North London Waste Authority and support from Fixfirst and local councils. Over a period of 12 months, we worked with repair businesses in the seven boroughs of North London to make repair more accessible for local residents and boost the local repair economy. Now, we’re ready — and excited — to share our findings from the trial. Our trial is not the first of its kind around the world, so we were joined by Karin Huber-Heim to talk about the initiatives that paved the way for a scheme like this to happen in London. Karin is president of the Circular Economy Forum Austria and holds the City of Vienna Endowed Professorship Circular Economy & Transformative Business Models — who better to talk to about this? Charting the origins of repair vouchers Karin guided us through the story of repair vouchers in Austria, from the beginning of the scheme in Graz, to a thriving implementation in Vienna, to the now nationwide Appliance Saver Bonus. The model has proved popular around Europe, with iterations active in Germany and France also. She shared how in Vienna in particular, they built on existing repair infrastructure. Their repair business network had already been supporting the city for over 20 years by the time repair vouchers came into the picture, meaning that they had an engaged and trusted foundation of businesses to activate. It’s an idea that struck our imagination, as we found that without such a network in place in London, it was a challenge to find businesses that were up for the task and had the capacity to get involved. The Austrian scheme has undergone many iterations, reacting to fraudulent activity, government changes, and funding difficulties. Karin shared how this affected uptake of the scheme with the public but also the impact that it had on businesses. We were lucky to have seen these different ways of implementation, as well as those in other countries, to inform our own version in London. So what about the North London trial? We shared some of the key takeaways from the North London trial, including some of the aspects that made it particularly effective. These included the fact that it was: Frictionless for customers, meaning that there was a low bar to entry to partake and no financial risk up front. We included tech repair businesses, meaning that we had a larger pool of businesses involved. It was striking how few repair businesses existed for small household appliances, despite a demand for these repairs. Our report into the barriers that repair businesses face came out of our work on this scheme and covers why this is and what policy-makers can do to help. It had a significant enough discount of 50% off the cost of a repair, which Karin suggests is the threshold that removes the ‘psychological barrier’, encouraging people to use the vouchers. Cost as the main incentive for people to use the vouchers definitely rang true for us as we found that 60% of applicants cited cost saving as their motivation for using the scheme and the same percentage had an annual salary of less than £30,000. The outlook for repair vouchers in the UK and Austria Repair vouchers proved popular in our trial. In fact, it received an NPS score of 96%, meaning that the vast majority of customers would recommend it to their friends and family. And in Austria they’re popular too. We discussed how a rise in repair culture in general, thanks to community repair is only leading to more of a demand for these kinds of initiatives.  Karin says though, that repair vouchers alone are not enough for a robust repair economy, governments must support other infrastructure like community repair groups, bring back repair education and channels for budding fixers to become repair technicians, and implement policies like EPR based financing and VAT reform. She highlighted that these interventions must not be tied to any one party’s ideology so as to ensure their longevity. And its true that access to repair is a rare a bipartisan issue, we found that by looking at the popularity of the London trial and the desire for users to return to repair shops again and again. The reason that Karin is especially interested in longevity, is the impacts she has already witnessed in Austria. The scheme faced multiple interruptions and the unpredictability led to major disruptions for businesses due to dips in demand for repairs. We need continued and secure funding and political support for it to be sustainable. With the Austrian scheme set to end this year, she shared her expectation that there will be an outcry from the public for it to return. With the knowledge that visible support from citizens is essential, we both hope that long term support for repair vouchers will happen and that these kind of schemes can continue to prove their value. Links: Please fill in our podcast listener survey to help us keep improving this show Read our full publication on the North London trial Read our report on the barriers of running a repair business in North London Learn about the Circular Economy Forum Austria [Feature image by North London Waste Authority] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 106: Tracing repair vouchers from Vienna to London appeared first on The Restart Project.

With two new locations just launched in London, we catch up with Rhio and Sarah to see how Fixing Factories are thriving on our high streets.

We’re currently running a survey of our listeners. Please take a few minutes to fill it in so that we can make the content that you want to hear! Off the back of a very wet and dreary start to the year in the UK, we’re bringing memories of sunnier times to all of you. For this episode, we spoke to Clare and Frank about the repair pop-ups that they — with the help of many volunteers — ran at two festivals over the last couple of summers.  Clare Seek is the founder of Share Portsmouth (originally Repair Cafe Portsmouth) and has been running repair events since its inception in 2018. Frank Schoofs founded Marlow Repair Cafe in the same year and has since also set up the Repair Finder. All this to say, that they have plenty of experience running community repair events and in 2024, Frank decided to take one event off the beaten track — to the Cambridge Folk Festival.  When inspiration strikes Frank was pushed to act by the seemingly endless piles of sleeping bags, tents, camping chairs and more that he had been seeing left behind at festivals because he knew that surely more could be done to help this massive waste issue. He did a bit of research and found that the local Cambridge Folk Festival was already doing a fair bit of work around sustainability. So, he pitched the idea of a repair tent at the next edition and that summer, it became a reality!  “I was like, that is a cool idea. Why aren’t we doing more repair out and about because I’m always into taking things out and about and especially focusing on young people as well. I think we need our future generation to be skilled up and excited about repairing things.” Clare, inspired by Frank’s blog post on the experience, did her own research and connected with Boomtown Fair. She gathered volunteers from around 10 different repair cafes in the Hampshire network and they brought a ‘Reparium’ to the crowd of potentially 80,000 people — a lot of them between the ages of 18 and 26. These huge crowds meant that for both repair events, they saw repair rates much higher than normal. Frank estimates that out of the 14,000 or so people that visited the Cambridge Folk Festival, they managed to help a whopping 10% of them.  Turning broken soles into gateway repairs Both Frank and Clare pointed out that visibility was key to the success of these repair pop-ups. They made sure to place their sites in areas of the festival with plenty of foot traffic, relying partly on people seeing the tent and then returning at a later date when disaster (aka a broken shoe) struck. Though they were both obviously well-prepared with tools and tape, it was a make do and mend attitude that prevailed for repairs over the weekend. Rather than the usual electricals that come to many regular repair events, they said that overwhelmingly the items being brought in were clothing, airbeds, sunglasses, shoes, tents, chairs, trolleys, and a few liquid damaged phones.  We expected that it might be hard to keep people engaged with repairs with so much else going on at these festivals but what Clare realised is that when there is no other option than to repair, people will really get involved in fixing their stuff. It also helped that a lot of the repairs were really simple, providing an accessible and quick introduction to repair that she hoped would influence people’s future behaviour.  “In our culture, we’re not really told that some repairs are really simple…we’re often talking about electrical repairs and the barriers to repair, but I think in that festival context where it’s less electrical…some of this stuff is really simple and you can learn those skills and then you can keep using them.” At Restart, and in the repair community at large, we are always trying to find effective ways to reach new audiences — especially younger people. Frank shared that at regular events in Marlow, their attendees are predominantly 50+ years of age. However, at the festival, they helped younger people, families and people from all over the world, including visitors from a repair cafe in Belgium! What is most interesting perhaps is that at both festivals, almost all visitors to the repair pop-ups had not heard of a repair cafe before but absolutely loved the idea.  Clare believes the key to reaching these new audiences is about going to new people not expecting them to come to us. She has taken the same approach by recently bringing community repair events to the University of Portsmouth and connected with younger people on their level. This includes talking to them about campaigning for the Right to Repair and providing them tangible options to take action to tackle one of their biggest concerns, the climate crisis.   Tough tape and trickle down action In the same way that Frank originally inspired Clare to take community repair to new places, they both hope that listeners and organisers will be moved to do the same. They share some tips and tricks on how to get booked to repair at a festival, what the essential items are for mending and fixing on site, and how best to organise volunteers for these events. We also talk about what unusual places they might want to take repair next, including schools and workplaces. And the key takeaway for us: the volunteers loved helping out at the events and they’re in high demand. And if anyone at Glastonbury Festival is listening, get in touch! Before we go, we also wanted to give an exciting announcement. This October will be the 10th edition of International Repair Day and to celebrate, our theme will be all about how repair unites us. We’re encouraging groups worldwide to throw a celebration — a repair festival if you will — to mark the occasion. This could be as big as a multi-day event with musical performances and more while people repair, or simply your regular repair event but run in collaboration with a new community in your area (think Scouts or a lending library). We can’t wait to share more in the coming months! Links: Please fill in our podcast listener survey to help us keep improving this show Download Clare and Frank’s toolkit for running repair cafes at a festival Read Frank’s original blog post about Cambridge Folk Festival BBC: The Boomtown repairers fixing campers’ broken gear Share Portsmouth The Repair Finder [Images courtesy of Clare Seek/Share Portsmouth and Frank Schoofs/Marlow Repair Cafe] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 104: We’re ready for a repair boom at UK music festivals appeared first on The Restart Project.

As the year draws to a close, we’re grappling with what a sustainable future really looks like against a backdrop of a more and more technology-based world. We’re told that the tools that we now have at our fingertips are making our lives easier, more streamlined but this convenience comes at a cost. There are organisations thinking differently though, like the Paris-based “Citizen Science Laboratory”, Atelier 21. On this episode, we speak to founder, Cédric Carles about the low-tech, frugal, and more environmentally-friendly innovations of old that they are raising from the buried past.  Cédric had values of sustainability, repairing and shared responsibility ingrained in him from an early age. That’s why, once he started working in the design space, he was less interested in creating new, shiny things to sell people and more interested in creating products that would elevate peoples lives and be built to last. While working to develop sustainable technologies and speaking to older colleagues, he realised that some of the ‘new’ ideas that he was having actually weren’t that new at all. And in fact, there was a whole history of innovation out there that he wasn’t aware already existed. So, at COP21, he took the opportunity of having environmentally-minded people from all over the world in Paris, at his fingertips, and started having conversations with everyone. In the last ten years, the Paléo-Energétique project has collected ideas around energy, water, transportation and more. A timeline for change This collection became the Paléo-Energétique timeline that is now a partial basis for their RetroFutur Museum in Paris. Cédric shares a few examples with us of some of the forgotten but groundbreaking innovations — the “gold nuggets” — that are included on the timeline. And the timeline is constantly growing, as the RetroFutur Museum has the potential to move to new towns, every time they do so, they work with local schools and archives to augment the exhibition to the innovations that they discover in the local area. “A lot of innovation was killed by the prices of energy. What we discovered is that a lot of crisis time was a really good time for innovation…during crisis there is no coal, no fuel and it is so expensive. But when the crisis is gone…we just forget all the stuff we have done with solar energy and alternatives…It’s time to not forget anymore.” The timeline serves as a tool to not only educate but to inspire. Cédric wants participants to have an “experience with the material” and see with their own eyes what is possible. It’s an ethos echoed in other Atelier 21 projects, like Solar Soundsystem where members of the public power a soundsystem by pedalling bikes. Many efforts for change are shot down by voices saying that a sustainable transition isn’t possible but Cédric says their work proves to people that it is possible because it has already been done. Inside the RetroFutur Museum [Credit: Atelier 21 Resurrecting and regenerating Atelier 21 are not just digging up old patents but are bringing them back from the dead. One of these is the RegenBox, a machine that can recharge alkaline batteries, making them reusable. It was inspired by the inventor of modern alkaline batteries, Karl Kordesch’s original patents for recharging them. So, they began working on “re-prototyping.” What resulted was their RegenBox and RegenStations which can diagnose the energy level in your battery and then, recharge it. And the best part… they’re repairable, both their software and hardware! They’re a perfect addition to community initiatives like Fixing Factories, sharing libraries or eco hubs. The alkaline battery is so ubiquitous, that an opportunity to reuse them could attract new visitors who may not yet be interested in repair. Cédric says that there are around 40 RegenStations and 3-4,000 RegenBoxes around Europe, resulting in an estimated 100,000 batteries saved just this year. And next year, with the help of communities like ours, he wants to up that number to one million. The “treasure trove” continues to grow The timeline contains many, many innovations which you can read about and explore. This also means that there is plenty of knowledge for Atelier 21 to draw on and “re-innovate” on. Right now, they are exploring work extending the lives of solar panels which notoriously get retired before their time, leading to e-waste. And Cédric shares that next year, they are launching Paleo-Water and will be collecting and sharing information on lost patents around water systems. Do you have a lost invention that you would like to add to the timeline? Let Cédric know! Links Atelier 21 Explore the Paléo-Energétique timeline RetroFutur Museum Solar Soundsystem RegenBox Featured image: Karl Kordesch’s patent from 1960 [U.S. patent 2,960,558: Public Domain] Episode uses: Video Game Death Sound Effect by harrietniamh [License: Attribution 4.0] and Power Up 8 Bit.wav by Mrthenoronha [License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 103: Resurrecting our low-tech and sustainable past, with Cédric Carles from Atelier 21 appeared first on The Restart Project.

International Repair Day 2025 is almost here! And a lot of our focus this year has been on software obsolescence. It’s been top of mind due to the unprecedented impact that the end of Windows 10 will have on around half of all Windows users. In early October, with the end of 10 on the horizon, we sat down with Nathan Proctor from US PIRG, Monique Szpak, seasoned laptop tinkerer and volunteer with Community TechAid and Repair Cafe Lambeth, and our own Tech Lead, Neil Mather to get the lowdown on what the resistance has been to this huge obsolescence event that is now upon us.  The Windows 10 issue is out of this world On October 14th — ironically on International E-Waste Day and only four days before International Repair Day — Microsoft will end free and automatic support for Windows 10. Nathan and Neil both share the shocking statistics of what the fallout will be. The stand out figure is a potential “1.6 billion pounds of e-waste” generated — if all the laptops impacted by the end of 10 were stacked on top of each other, it would reach beyond the moon.  So, this issue is huge, but repairers around the world have been trying to do something about it. We mark the small gains that we’ve made and Microsoft’s concessions, but it isn’t enough to solve the problem. Nathan tells us about the open letter that US PIRG recently sent to the company, which was signed by over 500 organisations around the world. Campaigners in Europe are also urging the European Commission to introduce Ecodesign legislation that would require software updates of at least 15 years for laptops, and more. Campaigning can and has worked in the past and Nathan tells us about one of their previous campaigns which ultimately contributed to Google promising 10 years of minimum support for Chromebooks as a requirement.  Our ‘End of 10’ toolkit Apart from campaigning, we’re also taking action on the ground. We speak to Neil about the toolkit that Restart put together to help repair groups tackle the end of Windows 10 within their local communities. It’s a resource that was developed with 20 different groups around the world, drawing on the collective experience of our amazing community.  Neil and Monique both volunteer at their local repair cafes and share with us how tackling Windows 10 has been going so far. They point out that the end of 10 actually isn’t widely common knowledge yet, meaning that sometimes people come in with a laptop that they think is broken but it’s actually Windows 10 or 11 that’s the problem. While fixing up these machines, they’re also having to educate and raise awareness. And they expect that once October 14th passes, and more and more software starts to become out of date, there will be an uptick in the number of people bringing in these machines.  Is Linux the solution? There are a few solutions to the end of 10 that the repair community particularly love, one of these is to replace the Windows OS with Linux. But while Linux is popular with “techies”, as Monique says, the average person isn’t too familiar. So this wonderful solution does require more than just installing it on a laptop. Neil and Monique both take us through their working style for helping people who come into their repair cafes move over to Linux. The key, they point out, is communication and time. Our toolkit supports fixers in talking through attendees’ options and needs. Then, it takes time, maybe a dummy laptop with Linux already installed, and probably a few sessions to get them comfortable with the OS — only then can be installed on their device. All in all, it’s a great option and we’re lucky that it’s possible to install a different OS on Windows 10 devices. But as Nathan points out, this solution isn’t workable for this vast issue — for the estimated 400 million laptops that will be left unsecure from the end of 10. We’ll have to work with a combination of all of the solutions we discussed. This means support in local communities to help people better understand their devices. It means infrastructure in place to continue this support through the life of their device. And it means campaigning for legislation that combats premature obsolescence which is especially important for devices that aren’t laptops — for e-bikes, medical devices and more — which cannot have a new OS installed on them. Links: Explore our global map of over 2000 events for Repair Day! US PIRG: Our open letter to Microsoft on the end of support for Windows 10 R2R Europe: EU urged to act on Software Obsolescence as hundreds of organizations demand long-term Windows 10 support The Restart Project: The end of Windows 10: A toolkit for community repair groups Restarters Wiki: Windows 10 End of Life Nathan Proctor: Why the end of support for Windows 10 is uniquely troubling [Images courtesy of Right to Repair Europe and Mark A Phillips] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 102: We’re saying no to Microsoft’s wasteful end of Windows 10 appeared first on The Restart Project.

After a bit of a hiatus, our podcast is back and we were honoured to be joined by Mark Miodownik for a chat about researching and communicating around repair. Mark is not only an author, engineer, Professor of Materials and Society at UCL, and a director of the Institute of Making but also the newly appointed Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement with Science — meaning that he’s really good at turning people who think they are apathetic about the material things (less in the Madonna sense and more like Aluminium honeycombs and Nano Fibres, to name a couple) in our world, into enthusiasts.  We need to talk about engineering Mark shares with us how he got into public engagement around engineering and repair. It turns out that it’s out of love and a personal passion for the subject! He believes that engineering should be as revered as much as art, music, and movies because it is, and has long been, a really integral part of human culture. We learn that a key part of effectively communicating about repair,  in Mark’s opinion, is to play on your own enthusiasm about the subject, finding commonality, and an in-road to make the topic just as exciting to them — one of the ways that he does this is by talking about his bike. An example of this is the Materials Library at the IoM, making it a tactile and real experience that people can engage with. And as much as it’s important to get the general public interested in repair, we need to also be communicating its impact to funders and the government. One way that we can do that, Mark says, is by talking about its social value and the impact it has to strengthen our communities, and on our mental and physical health.  Big findings from the Big Repair Project Recently, Mark was part of a team that undertook a wide-spanning piece of research called the Big Repair Project, where they looked into repair habits in the UK, what influences them, and most importantly what is stopping people from repairing their stuff. When it came to barriers to repair, some of the main ones included cost, how long repair takes, the societal norms of consumer culture, apathy of the general public towards saving their stuff, and discouragement from manufacturers.  “By and large people don’t enjoy throwing things away. It’s not something that gives them a kick, mostly people just want it to work and they actually appreciate the objects…we found that they felt like they had no choice, because buying new is the cheapest option in many cases.” He shares some other major findings from the study, including what surprised him. It turns out that people expect their small electricals to last an average of five years and bigger white goods to last for ten — and this simply isn’t happening. So next they thought, how can we make this the reality? That’s what their next study is about.  A washing machine for life? Mark shares his vision of a world where a washing machine was so repairable, so long-lasting that it could be passed down from generation to generation. So in the upcoming study, they’re going to find out what would be needed to make that happen. Part of it, he says, comes from utilising the technology that is now starting to be built-in to our white goods — technology that to most of us currently seems a bit unnecessary. But they are wondering if solutions like prompts for maintenance could prolong the life of these machines significantly.  “They’re making a machine that starts out as rocks in one part of the world, gets made into steel, gets made into all sorts of copper windings for the motor, adds plastics and rubbers, and then it ends up in your hands. And they do all of that for 250 quid. That’s quite a remarkable engineering achievement. But the truth is…by having it so finely attuned to the price point, they’re prone to failure.” It’s a difficult balance. Under our current system, manufacturers struggle to produce these machines while also hitting profit margins and encouraging new sales. He shares a few possible solutions, ones that would likely be very effective. But ultimately, it’s an issue that is bigger than any one company. Instead, it requires an overhaul of how governments and policy makers think about our economy and more sustainable models.  The self-repairing smartphone We couldn’t end our conversation without bringing up the concept of self-repairing materials. So, Mark gives us a run-down of what progress has been made so far including self-repairing cement and paint, that are already being used in our day-to-day lives. The idea, he says, is that these materials will be able to mimic the repair mechanisms inside our own bodies, monitoring for when work is needed and acting on that without our intervention.  It’s a necessary technology to ensure that we become more resilient against the effects of climate change, keeping infrastructure like bridges and roads in good condition. But it’s also a technology that could be applied to our devices. Though at the moment we haven’t quite gotten there, Mark explains how he sees ‘animated’ self-repairing phones could be in our future.  Links: Read: Big Repair Project: using citizen science to better understand the factors affecting household maintenance and repair of home appliances and electronics across the UK Explore: Institute of Making’s Materials Library [Photos courtesy of Mark B and Marianne Cornelissen-Kuyt licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 101: Engineering our repairable future, with Mark Miodownik appeared first on The Restart Project.

Spring has sprung in London and so have new repair initiatives! We sat down with Shelini and Fiona to have a chat about two exciting projects that have just kicked off in the capital. Another high street gets treated to a Fixing Factory First, Shelini told us about the launch of the brand new Hackney Fixing Factory that happened in April. As we waved goodbye to the historic Hackney Fixers group, a more permanent space has taken root right off the high street. Friends and project partners joined us to cut the ribbon and celebrate our third Fixing Factory. We spoke about some of the fresh ideas that we’re bringing to this space and the activities that are going on including: community repair events (à la Restart Parties), Fixperience Workshops, a Future Fixers course, and a Repair Club. We’re also planning to open two more sites in the near future, one in Haringey and one somewhere else in London. If you have a suggestion for where we should go next or want to get involved as a volunteer – get in touch! Hackney Councillor Sarah Young cuts the ribbon at Hackney Fixing Factory. Photo: Mark A Phillips The first repair voucher scheme in the UK Then, Fiona introduced us to the repair voucher scheme that we are running across North London, in partnership with North London Waste Authority, ReLondon and FixFirst. The trial follows examples in Austria, France and Germany and is the first of it’s kind in the UK. In practice, it means that residents in North London can register for a voucher which gets them 50% (up to £50) off a repair at a participating repair business. Launching the scheme at Neil Electrics. Photo: North London Waste Authority Repair vouchers totally resonate with what we’re asking for in the Repair and Reuse Declaration. Fiona talks us through how we hope that the scheme will help push for policy change on a big scale in the UK. And the public are in support of it too! Our initial data shows that ~48% of those that signed up for a voucher would not have considered repairing their item otherwise, signalling that this could have huge ripple effects on reducing e-waste. We also spoke about the challenges to repair businesses and how this scheme could hopefully help bolster the repair economy in London. We’re still looking for repair businesses to participate in this trial, so if this sounds interesting you can learn more here. Links: See what’s going on at Hackney and Camden Fixing Factories Sign up for our repair voucher scheme [Feature image courtesy of Mark A Phillips] The post Restart Radio: London gets a new Fixing Factory and repair vouchers appeared first on The Restart Project.

We can’t believe that we’ve already reached episode 100 of The Restart Podcast! We launched this show a decade ago to explore the world of repair, connect with others in the space, and think about how our work fits into the wider world of sustainability and circularity, autonomy and ownership, and education and accessibility. And we’re so proud of what we’ve managed to produce and the conversations that we’ve had over the years.  To mark the occasion, we wanted to speak to a few notable people that haven’t featured on the podcast yet. These are people who you might have thought would’ve been in the first handful of episodes. But right now, is actually a perfect time to reflect together and think about what comes next for the repair movement. In this episode, Ugo got back behind the mic to connect with contemporaries and old friends. He spoke to Martine Postma, Kyle Wiens, Cristina Ganapini, and Mathew Lubari about their unique takes on repair.  A pioneer of community repair Martine shares with us her memories of setting up the first repair cafe back in Amsterdam in 2009 and how community repair has blossomed since then. From those humble beginnings, there are now over 3,500 repair cafes around the world. And that number doesn’t even include other community repair initiatives like Restart Parties, Fixit Clinics and more – showing just how far the roots of her idea have spread over time. We reflected on their 15 year anniversary event last autumn and what the future holds – or at least Martine hopes – for community repair.  From a broken laptop to the destination for DIY repair Kyle had some interesting takeaways from last year’s Open Repair Alliance report that Ugo was eager to dive into. What resulted were some recommendations for how community repair events can really thrive as solutions to people’s everyday needs and integrate into our existing ways of living. They also speak about the end of iFixit! But don’t worry, it’s not happening anytime soon. Rather, as we continue to make gains towards achieving the Right to Repair, they ponder where iFixit would sit in a world where manufacturers make repair manuals and spare parts readily available. It turns out, there will always be a place for conveners of experience and knowledge – something that we know a lot about! Gaining Right to Repair the visibility it needs Next, Ugo catches up with Cristina about Right to Repair policy, mainly in Europe, over the last decade. She shares her feelings as someone who is campaigning day in day out for a real Right to Repair. One thing to be particularly proud of, she says, is the Right to Repair Directive and she’s also hopeful about new changes to battery regulation coming into force in 2027. They discuss how although we have a long way to go and new legislation doesn’t include all electricals yet, it’s a clear sign that repair is on agenda and has new visibility that was not the case a decade – or even five years – ago.  Repair under challenging circumstances Finally, Ugo speaks to our only return guest of the episode, Mathew from Community Creativity 4 Development. He shares with us how their work has evolved over the last few years and the work that they are doing to involve new communities and improve real people’s lives on the ground through repair. It’s inspiring work that has not only caught our eye but the eye of those in surrounding countries. Mathew shares his recent collaborations with repairers in Kenya and posits a new idea for a Right to Repair convening forum in Africa that will help them spread their love for repair even further.  A big thank you And that’s episode 100! We want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in the podcast (and over 140 episodes of Restart Radio) in the last ten years. That includes all of our past guests, Optonoise, Cassini Sound, the team at Resonance FM, all of the Restart volunteers who have hosted radio takeovers, and of course, Dave Pickering who produced this show for many years. We’re excited to see what comes next and hope that you will keep listening and learning with us. Links: Repair Cafe International iFixit Right to Repair Europe Community Creativity 4 Development   [“Screwdriver, Ratchet, A.wav” by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org; Photo of Cristina by Mark A Phillips] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 100: Trailblazers of repair appeared first on The Restart Project.

A transcript of this podcast is available Sitting nestled in the mountains of France sits a small building buzzing with activity. Backdropped by the snowy Alps, signs on the building read “where borders meet”, “welcome” and “repair station”, a perfect summary of the Low-tech & Refugees project run by EKO!. In this episode, we speak to Marjolaine Bert, founder of EKO! about how repair and ingenuity can give vulnerable people life saving solutions, learning from each other, and building empathy between communities.  The Low-tech & Refugees project aims to help refugees, migrants and exiled people with low-tech solutions to basic needs like food, water, shelter, communication materials and so on. Through a combination of trainings and workshops, volunteers and beneficiaries work together to repair, upcycle and share skills. Marjolaine has brought this work to hotspots like the Mória refugee camp in Lesbos, Marseilles, and now her hometown of Briançon where she is helping those making the treacherous crossing across the French-Italian border.  So why low-tech? We asked Marjolaine about the reasoning behind the low-tech approach that they take. She says that low-tech solutions come with the territory for their work. For the most part, the people who arrive at EKO! have very little means and from this, springs creativity and a make-do-and-mend attitude. Marjolaine shares some examples of ingenious inventions that they have made over the years. This includes hand warmers made out of discarded baby food pouches, portable lamps made from empty disposable water bottles, and tent insulation made from life jackets.  And while this approach is a necessity when you have such little means and materials to work with, it doesn’t mean that it should only be used in these scenarios. We talk about the need for those who have the power to choose a more sustainable way of life to do so. Especially, as the reason many displaced people are in this position is due to our changing climate.  A place for collaboration and building empathy Marjolaine runs us through the impressive number of activities going on every week at EKO! including bike fixing, clothes mending, woodworking and beekeeping! In their workshops, EKO! have an approach to teaching that hits close to home for those of us familiar with Restart Parties. Marjolaine explains that these sessions don’t have a ‘teacher’ per say but rely on everyone in the room sharing their own unique experiences and knowledge so that they can work out solutions together. She shares that for some migrants this can be an incredibly grounding experience, allowing them to reconnect with the life that they may have left behind and their autonomy as people.  “And it’s really interesting because then people that are usually just learning, in the position of the one that doesn’t know, can be in the position of the one that knows the best. Maybe he knows how to use a sewing machine because before in his life, he was a tailor… And that’s really interesting to see self-confidence and dignity coming through that kind of relationship where everyone’s equal and we all have something to learn from each other. Maybe the one that knows how to sew doesn’t know how to speak the local language. So, everyone has to learn something in the meeting.” EKO! also run repair cafes every week where refugees and migrants, locals and even tourists come to fix together. It’s a unique opportunity for collaboration between groups that have much working against them. Especially, Marjolaine points out, with the way that the media portrays migrants in France.  All in all, the project has a far-reaching impact on not only the beneficiaries but the local community and volunteers as well. We like to bring this ethos to our own community repair activities, knowing that people from all walks of life have skills and knowledge to share. EKO goal! really take this to an inspiring new level that we can all learn from.  If you’d like to donate or get involved with EKO!’s work, take a look at the following links: EKO!’s wiki with low-tech tutorials Volunteer with EKO! Donate to EKO! The post Restart Podcast Ep. 99: EKO! is changing lives with low-tech solutions appeared first on The Restart Project.

Have you ever binned or recycled something that was still working, or could have been repaired? Our new report says that the answer is likely, yes. Did you want to do so? Our polling suggests, no! Last year, we conducted a small study on rates of reuse and repair at a waste and recycling centre in London and found that almost half of the small electricals that went to scrap, could have been either repaired or directly reused. We had our suspicions that this wasn’t a stand alone occurrence, so we set our sights on something bigger. In this episode, we talk to Restart’s own James Pickstone about our new BREW (Beyond Recycling of E-Waste) report into reuse at UK waste facilities, and Sarah Ottoway, Sustainability and Social Value Lead at SUEZ about their new report into uptake of reuse options at their own facilities. The Headlines The main – unfortunate but compelling – takeaway from the BREW report shows that there is nowhere near enough of this activity happening. In fact, we found that only around half of waste facilities in the UK have any kind of reuse stream and only around a fifth offer reuse for small electricals. It’s a shockingly low statistic that desperately needs to change. If you want to dive deeper, you’re in luck. James takes us on a journey through our findings and what they mean. Including an even more appalling figure on repair at waste facilities. For SUEZ, their findings are looking a bit brighter. They found that the majority of visitors to the HWRCs were already users of the on-site reuse shop and regularly so. Furthermore, those who weren’t using the shop were already engaging in similar activities eg. charity shopping and buying second hand. It’s a welcome insight into people’s mindsets and a positive sign that more people are picking up sustainable habits. The art of what could be James and Sarah run us through what reuse options really look like at these facilities. One of the most impressive perhaps, is Suez’s 6,000² foot ‘renew hub’ in Manchester which caters for upcycling and repair for everything from bicycles, to fabric and upholstery, to woodworking. She is clearly immensely proud of what they have built there and recounts to us the inspiration that she feels just by walking through its entrance. It’s the kind of facility that we want to have in every area of the UK and its the kind of inspiration that we need to make it happen. As well as the reuse initiatives at council run sites, James points out that there are also many grassroots initiatives spread out around the UK. These are a more than worthy alternative but they also still need funding. Manchester Renew Hub So what’s stopping us? Our polling showed that 85% of the British public think items brought to waste facilities should be kept in use through being repaired/refurbished or donated/sold. And the same percentage support government-set targets for reuse. So what’s stopping that from happening? We talk to both of our guests about the barriers and solutions to encourage more reuse options. Sarah says that a lot of the time, the barriers are actually quite practical. Issues of too little space, too little time and too little funding are preventing more options like reuse hubs or refurbish and repair programmes from popping up. These are problems that occur on a case by case basis and while reuse could use more funding as a general rule, its a tricky issue to solve. But there is action that policymakers can be taking. Sarah and James both run us through some of these potential options including new reuse targets, removal of VAT on repairs and spare parts, and financial incentives for manufacturers to provide longer repair support for products. It’s exactly the kind of thing that we’re asking for in the UK Repair and Reuse Declaration – which has already proven popular with citizens and MPs alike. Links: Learn more about our BREW report Read the full ORA report Read the full SUEZ report Read about our 2023 waste study Discover and sign the Repair and Reuse Declaration [Images by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.]     The Beyond Recycling of E-Waste (BREW) project was supported, in part, by IMPETUS. IMPETUS is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101058677. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.   The post Restart Podcast Ep. 98: It’s official, the UK needs more reuse options appeared first on The Restart Project.

For our August episode, we spoke to professor and writer, Shannon Mattern about her writing on the history of repair and repair manuals. It’s a theme that she has almost unknowingly been pursuing in her work for many years, bringing it to areas of thought that we haven’t yet explored on the show.  The repair manual brings into play lots of elements that fascinate Mattern including graphic design and instructional media but perhaps what stands out most is her belief that the genre isn’t always so straight forward in its pedagogical nature. In fact, in classes she often encourages students to use the repair manual as a lens through which to reinvent objects in a more considered way. From stewardship to sealed devices The modern repair manual – the one that Right to Repair activists across the world are fighting against – commonly tells us not to even open our devices instead of to repair them. But how did we get here? Mattern takes us through a brief history of the repair manual in its various iterations. From handwritten and drawn examples centuries ago, to the first printed manuals, and then the boom of private goods (and the means to repair them) in the 1950s. She points out that repair manuals have always had a complicated relationship with their reader and this approach is not wholly new. Thats why collectives like Videofreex found a need to produce their own literature on repairing equipment, just one example of the many responses to the genre. We also touch on the need for oral histories and manuals, rather than the published ones that we are used to seeing from manufacturers. Its a practice particularly common in places like Cuba where getting your hands on a written manual can be prohibitively expensive, if they exist at all. But this also rings very true when considering Restart’s own network of community repairers today. A page from El Libro De La Familia                             A page from Videofreex’s Spaghetti City Video Manual Bending the rules of the manual As has become clear, the repair manual will never be the be all end all of repairing an object – or our world. Mattern shares some more inventive ways that repair manuals have been used as a ‘boundary object’ in order to encourage conversation and cooperation, especially in the community action space. Rather than being only used as instructive pieces, the manual can actually be a tool in itself. And in fact, this resonates deeply with us, as Restart would not be what it is today if not for the wonderful community of people sharing their skills, their knowledge, and collaborating to make a change.           Links: Maintenance and Care by Shannon Mattern Step by Step from ‘Repair Manual’ by Shannon Mattern ‘The pandemic is a portal’ by Arundhati Roy Repair Culture: Reparación “the never-ending life of Cuban things …” by Mark A Phillips [Photos courtesy of Internet Archive,  London Community Video Archive and the Experimental Television Centre] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 97: Beyond the repair manual, with Shannon Mattern appeared first on The Restart Project.

We spoke to Restart’s own Pascale Hall and James Pickstone, and Dr Kersty Hobson from Cardiff University about the Student Repair Revolution project and their learnings and hopes for the future of student repair initiatives.  Unique and familiar challenges We know that engaging young people in repair is no easy task which is partly why the Student Repair Revolution project was set up in the first place. So, we discuss the main challenges that were found when trying to set up initiatives in universities. Kersty stresses that it really is dependent on the unique situation of each institution. Campus layout, student extracurricular culture, and the types of courses offered can all affect how easy it is to establish repair groups at a university. Students are also time poor, which means that accessibility and visibility of these repair activities is vital.  But as Pascale and James point out, not all the barriers that they found are unique to university students. There are also the all too recognisable challenges of obtaining insurance for events and finding the volunteers to run them – issues that any repair group organiser will recognise. What seems to be clear is that the ‘traditional’ repair cafe model does not suit universities… especially when it falls on a hungover Sunday morning.  Collaboration is key Pascale says that one of the most exciting parts of working on this project has been seeing the knowledge and experience sharing between student groups. With such a daunting task, it’s clear that we need to be fostering collaboration between those who are really motivated to establish repair on campuses. And working with local groups is important also. Not only because community repairers can share their experiences in organising events, but they can also pass on their fixing skills which are sadly being lost between generations.  Kersty stresses throughout our conversation that students also need encouragement to get involved in repair.  “I don’t think we can assume that we’ve got a young generation of repairers waiting in the wings. I think we need to be part of the change to facilitate and empower them to be able to do repair.” While young people are interested in repair – whether for environmental or financial reasons – it’s not enough to expect them to become leaders of the movement on their own. There is a wealth of knowledge on technical skills, Right to Repair policy, and community organising that is just waiting to be shared with the next generation of repair rebels. Links: Get involved: Be Part of the Student Repair Revolution! Read: What is the university for these days? Rethinking the foundations of the ‘circular campus’ Listen: Restart Podcast Ep. 83: Meet the students Fixing Things for the Future [Feature image courtesy of University of Leeds] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 96: It’s time for a Student Repair Revolution appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we spoke to Libby Peake, Head of Resource Policy at Green Alliance about their work on waste and resources, and how we can get the UK government to act urgently to tackle these issues.  Libby begins by giving us a rundown on government resources policy over the last decade and how it stacks up to the measures that have been put in place in European countries. As she says, ‘bits and bobs’ have been done including on resource and energy efficiency, but it’s not what we need to make a major difference. “The UN has been raising alarms about the amount of resources that are extracted from the earth. It’s nearly quadrupled since the 1970s and the UN has estimated that that’s driving 50% of global emissions and 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress. So, the planet cannot handle it if we keep extracting resources to this extent.” We also touch on the UK’s shocking production of electrical waste (e-waste):  The 2024 Global E-Waste Monitor was published soon after our interview and the UK are still number 2 on the leaderboard of the world’s highest producers of e-waste per person. It’s a leaderboard that we’re not happy to be near the top of, but there are things that we can do to change this.  One way we’re going about this is with the UK Repair and Reuse Declaration. We talk to Libby about Green Alliance’s involvement in shaping and promoting the declaration and how it could be used as a political tool in the future – including at our joint parliamentary event in May! Now, while recent movement on Right to Repair and waste reduction policy has been slow, Libby is far from pessimistic about the future. She believes that momentum on these issues is ramping up, and as long as we – along with our amazing community and partners in the space – keep putting on pressure, changes will be coming soon. It’s the type of insight and optimism that reminds us why community repair culture is so important. Links: Green Alliance Ask your MP to sign the Repair and Reuse Declaration Find out more about what’s happening in Europe The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 Material Focus: Is FastTech the new Fast Fashion? Donate to us and Big Give will double it! The post Restart Podcast Ep. 95: There’s hope yet for UK waste and repair policy, with Green Alliance appeared first on The Restart Project.

Do you know the most effective way to reduce our waste? If you’re a regular listener, then probably yes. But it may  surprise you to find out just how many people believe that recycling is the answer to our climate crisis.  This February, Keep Britain Tidy released a report on how to talk about  avoiding waste more effectively with the general public. We spoke to Anna Scott about their main findings and how we can better explain the waste hierarchy.  The social conundrums of buying less Before we dive into the research, we caught up about how the recent Buy Nothing New Month campaign went. For the last two Januarys, KBT has encouraged people to challenge themselves to a month of not buying anything new. This means participating in activities like reuse, repair, and buying second hand. Anna shared some of her own experiences participating in the challenge and navigating the ways that overconsumption has been ingrained into our societal norms.  What do people actually think of waste prevention? From KBT’s research, it turns out that the majority of people don’t quite understand the best ways to minimise waste. Anna shares that only 4 in 10 people were able to identify that reduce and reuse should come before recycling. This means that it’s important to be as specific as possible when talking about ways to cut waste. “It feels like people don’t really seem to understand waste prevention. It feels like the ‘reduce, reuse’ part of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ has got lost along the way somewhere. People don’t seem to understand that reduce and reuse are better than recycling.” Other communication tips that Anna shared include: giving people practical solutions; explaining why these behaviours are beneficial; and using more active and specific terms such as, repair, mend, share, rather than words like reuse and reduce. They also found that these communications need to be tailored depending on who you’re trying to reach and at what point in their waste prevention journey they are at.  Upping the profile of repair A statistic from the report that shocked us is that only 30% of people surveyed by KBT have heard of renting initiatives like lending libraries, and even less at 27% have heard of repair cafes. While in our own communities, community repair is always top of mind, it’s important to remember that it is still quite a novel concept to most of the British public.  Anna says that in order to really get waste prevention in the public consciousness and cut through the barrage of advertising people see every day, we need major collaboration between organisations to get these messages amplified. It also turns out people are more likely to listen to charities than the government on these issues – so I guess it’s our job to get this done!  Links: Keep Britain Tidy’s report and social pack Learn about Buy Nothing New Month [Graphics courtesy of Keep Britain Tidy] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 94: How to talk about avoiding waste, with Keep Britain Tidy appeared first on The Restart Project.

For our final episode of the season, Ugo and Fiona sat down for a chat about the year that was 2023. From launching the Repair and Reuse Declaration to the biggest Repair Day ever to some major wins for Right to Repair across the world. It’s been an amazing year and we couldn’t have done it without our community here in London and further afield. What has been the progress on Right to Repair? Gains in Europe Ugo talks us through the long list of upcoming legislation that is set to be up to bat next year. This includes new rules surrounding smartphones and tablets; consumer rights; and a repairability index for vacuum cleaners. He notes that its going to be a busy year as campaigners try their best to get legislation passed before the elections shake everything up. How are we learning from this in the UK? While progress on legislation is slow in the UK, Fiona points a few opportunities in the next year for action. This feels especially possible because of the strength our movement has gained in the UK this year. We’ve spent the year connecting and brainstorming with stakeholders and organisers to develop the Repair and Reuse Declaration which now has over 240 signatories! Makers Cabinet pose with the declaration on Repair Day More developments in the US Our allies in the US have been making major waves this year – especially when it comes to state-specific legislation in California and Minnesota. Ugo also covers some developments backed by our friends at U.S. PIRG. They’ve been facing up to huge names like Google and Microsoft. Despite all this success, we’ve got plenty more to do! What are we up to locally? In London, our network continues to grow with new groups popping up all the time. Fiona shares some examples of unique events that have happened this year. We also look back on the Fixing Factory project which we continued to learn from and hope to develop even further. Our Fixing Factory work in Brent also allowed us to undertake some exciting research. We worked with West London Waste Authority to investigate the e-waste that was brought to a recycling centre. The results were shocking but also inspired us to find solutions. Our vision for 2024 Fiona and Ugo share their hopes for the future and our work next year. We foresee some ripe opportunities for campaigning in the UK, with the looming general election. Further afield, Ugo is especially excited to see the repair movement grow across the world – with developments already happening in Taiwan, Columbia, and more. Our community celebrate at Fixfest UK Links: Why Google announced Chromebooks will last for 10 years Microsoft offers extended Windows 10 support, with added cost What happened on Repair Day 2023? The Repair and Reuse Declaration What a waste: our study shows almost half of electricals sent for recycling could be reused Open repair reaches a major milestone: over 100,000 records of repair We won the European Union Prize for Citizen Science—Digital Communities Award! Discover the Community Repair Network Read about what happened at Fixfest UK 2023 [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 93: A 2023 Restart Retrospective appeared first on The Restart Project.

We’re going on a repair road trip this month as we talk to Simon Frémineur and Jinny Uppington about their respective mobile repair initiatives. Travelling repair cafes are a popular idea in our community, with quite a few iterations popping up across the UK and abroad. We speak to our guests about the benefits of a mobile unit, including being able to reach communities who cannot access repair as easily. The Repair Café Mobile takes Wallonia Simon talks us through the origins of the Repair Café Mobile and the excitement that has surrounded it ever since he first pitched it to Repair Together back in 2017. What started as an idea for his final thesis project is now a popular mobile repair site that we loved seeing in person at Fixfest 2022. He talks us through the four stations of the trailer and how he adapted it to best replicate community repair events – which he’s now been able to take to around 100 events across Wallonia. The trailer boasts a whole range of equipment including tools, spare parts, and even a 3D printer! He also tells us about the ways he is considering expanding and altering the trailer such as, a bicycle version for use in more built-up urban areas. Reaching rural communities with the Fixy Bus Next, we speak to Jinny Uppington, Fixy Lead at Resource Futures. The Fixy van has been travelling all over Somerset to reach those in more rural areas and spread the word of community repair. Jinny tells us about the overwhelming popularity of the Fixy van, with its recognisable graffiti exterior that regularly gets spotted when out and about. Not only are they amplifying repair, Jinny tells us about the work that Resource Futures have been doing with Donate IT to tackle digital exclusion. Their tech amnesty initiatives have helped many residents in need, with the over 1,500 devices donated! She stresses the importance of partnerships for this project and it sounds like they have formed a thriving repair ecosystem in Somerset. Links: The Repair Café Mobile Watch: See the Repair Café Mobile in action The Fixy Project Watch: Learn more about Fixy [Feature image courtesy of Repair Together; Diagrams courtesy of Simon Frémineur; Le Repair Café Mobile by Repair Together / Simon Frémineur is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 92: Taking repair on the road appeared first on The Restart Project.

On 30th September, over 100 fixers, organisers, researchers, and more from around the UK came together for Fixfest UK 2023! This year’s edition was held in Cardiff and co-organised with our friends at Repair Cafe Wales. We spent the day sharing our experiences and expertise on how to build the movement and bring repair to the fore both locally and nationally. It was an incredibly supportive atmosphere, including a session on how to take care of yourself as a repair facilitator. In this episode, we wanted to share a taste of the conversations going on on the day. We spoke to 8 Fixfest attendees about how they’ve been uplifting repair in their communities, what they hope for the future, and how we can get repair on the government’s agenda. You’ll hear a host of different voices including: Clare Seek from Repair Cafe Portsmouth, and Nicole Barton from Cambridge Carbon Footprint from England; Elaine Brown from Edinburgh Remakery, and Jane Dixon from Share & Repair Network from Scotland; Phoebe Brown from Repair Cafe Wales, and Hayley Roberts from RE:MAKE Newport from Wales; and Chris McCartney from Repair Café Belfast, and Caroline McGuiness-Brooks from Repair Café Foyle in Northern Ireland.  Repair for Everyone On October 21st, we’re marking the seventh International Repair Day. The theme for 2023 is ‘Repair for Everyone’, we wanted to know what this phrase meant to UK organisers. It’s clear that accessibility is key to the answer to this question. We need repair to be affordable and abundant. This includes making an effort to start repair cafés in more hard to reach areas, and also making sure that we considering the global community in this movement. “They can come in, watch repair, get the confidence to do it and then make that a part of their lifestyle. So repair cafes are the future, as far as I’m concerned.” Hopes for the future We hear all about how the different organisations and initiatives are championing repair in their local areas but we also want to know what they hope will happen in the next five years. It turns out, our community has big aspirations. Many say that their main goal is simply to do even more of what they’re already doing – bringing repair to as many people as possible. We want to increase the reach of repair projects across the UK. And importantly, Chris emphasises the need to do this in a sustainable way, by finding new partners who can offer support and make repair cafés self-sustaining. Some want to use repair cafés as a vehicle to educate people and spread the message of climate action. What is probably the biggest shared aspiration is that of finding a permanent space for repair projects so the group took great inspiration from a visit to RE:MAKE Newport at the beginning of the weekend and a session on dedicated repair spaces. Almost everyone also wants to grow aspects of their operations, especially by incorporating borrowing libraries into their work. How can we engage politicians? Another exciting event at Fixfest UK was the unveiling of the new Repair and Reuse Declaration. It’s one of the ways we are taking action to make repair for everyone and demanding that the UK government support repair. Our guests share a host of ways that they’ve engaged their local politicians but what seems to work best is inviting them to an event, repairing something for them and really demonstrating the value of repair. “Befriend your local [politicians], get them in so that they can see what you do because once they see your repair cafés and they see what difference it makes to the community and to the environment, they’re going to be blown away.” If you want the UK government to take action on repair please sign the declaration as a group or organisation and encourage your local MP to do the same! Links: Read more about what happened at Fixfest UK Sign the Repair and Reuse Declaration What’s happening on Repair Day 2023 View the global map of Repair Day events (Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) The post Restart Podcast Ep. 91: Voices of Fixfest UK 2023 appeared first on The Restart Project.

Pinball machines are whirring and circuitboards buzz as we talk to ‘super-fixers’ Rob Howard and Matt Marchant from the TV show Retro Electro Workshop, about the experience of making a show about retro repair and how to encourage more people to repair their things. Retro Electro Workshop features Rob, Matt, and Shamil (who you will remember from our episode about Armstrong Audio) as we watch them dig out broken treasures and repair them to their former glory.  The ‘warm buzz’ of repair It’s hard not to want to dive into repairing your stuff when you hear Matt and Rob talk about it. From the satisfaction of making an antique radio sing again, to the sensory experience of hearing clicking contacts and smelling electrical components firing, it’s clear that they live and breathe repair. The hosts share their favourite repairs from the show including an old pinball machine, wartime radios, and a very sentimental Pinnochio toy. But more than anything, Matt and Rob say it’s the process of repairing they love – no matter the final outcome (though the pinball machine did sound fun to play with).  The older, the better New isn’t always better according to Rob and Matt (and us). While they recognise the limits of old cassette players for example, a lot of older devices were built to last unlike more contemporary gadgets. They tell us about the time when receiving a service manual with your device was the default, and things were designed to be taken apart and repaired.  “I think people have sort of forgotten that a little bit. We talk about circular economy, we talk about sustainability. But there’s still a lot of people who just think the first thing that happens if their appliance breaks is just to bin it, rather than actually, well maybe there is a repair thats sort of cost effective and sustainable for it.” Nowadays, a lack of repair guides and the abundance of glued and teeny tiny parts means that the average person will have a very difficult time repairing their gadgets. Perhaps, having a go at fixing an older item thats been sitting in your attic is a good place to start. https://therestartproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Retro-Electro-Workshop-Ep5-Matt-Food-mixer-clip.mp4 Why not give it a go? An important lesson for any budding repairers is just give it a go – your device is already broken anyway! Of course don’t go sticking your hands into the back of a radiator, says Rob, but if you take the proper precautions, there’s nothing to be afraid of with repair. Both Rob and Matt believe that repair education should be built into the curriculum in schools so that people can keep repair in mind as a solution from an early age. They’ve already received many letters from viewers who either were inspired to dig out an old toy and fix it up to working condition, and hope that Retro Electro Workshop will inspire you as well.  Links: All episodes of Retro Electro Workshop are available to stream for free on UKTV Play Fix It Workshop Restart Podcast Ep. 52: Combining nostalgia with the new at Armstrong Audio [Images and video courtesy of UKTV’s Retro Electro Workshop] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 90: Meet TV’s Retro Electro Workshop ‘super fixers’, Rob Howard and Matt Marchant appeared first on The Restart Project.

In the final episode of our summer season, we talked to author and journalist, Oliver Franklin-Wallis about his new book entitled, Wasteland: The Dirty Truth about What We Throw Away, Where It Goes, and Why It Matters. Oliver spent four years researching waste of all kinds, the people that handle it, and its effect on our planet. Having just conducted our own research into e-waste at a recycling centre, we were excited to learn about a more expansive view of the issue. The reality of recycling Oliver has been reporting on and thinking about waste for many years, from writing about Project Sword in China to the pollution of our rivers here in the UK. He’s passionate about making the massive issue of human-produced waste more visible to us. Off the bat, he shares some shocking statistics about the amount of waste that we, as a society, throw away each year. In the UK alone, this is ~1.3kg per person, per day. In the US, the number is even higher. Perhaps, more shocking than these figures is what Oliver calls “the foundational lie” of our recycling rate as a country. He is far from anti-recycling, sharing compelling figures with us like “an aluminum can that’s recycled, has a 95% lower carbon footprint than one that’s made of virgin materials.” But he points out that the way recycling rates are calculated in the UK is unhelpful in significantly reducing our waste output, substantially overestimating the amount of materials actually recycled. “In some cases, half of what we’re saying is recycled is not being recycled at all. A lot of the times we don’t know what’s happening to it when we get there. So, it’s insane to me that the government can be slapping us on the wrist for recycling the wrong yogurt pots or putting things in the wrong bins, when the reality is we don’t actually know what’s happening to this stuff.” We need more transparency in these processes and to better understand the value of our stuff and as such, put more thought into where it goes if we discard it. Oliver tells us about some ways that the government could more productively tackle recycling such as Deposit Return Schemes. What happens to our exported waste? While researching, Oliver travelled across the UK and the world including to Accra, New Delhi, and Fresno. He was struck by the differences between Global North and South in resources for treating waste safely and the role it played in each place. “Economic inequality, is at the heart of a lot of what we’re talking about when we’re dealing with waste, right? Rich people get to deal with it in an environmentally safe and fair manner, and the Global South overwhelmingly doesn’t.” It’s imperative that if we are to continue exporting waste to the Global South, that we ensure it is not harming the people that live there and the exporting of waste is done in a more responsible way. Positively, we also discuss how exporting what we call “waste” can often benefit those in countries like Ghana and India. The market for second-hand goods and the efforts put into repairing items means that much of the waste is reused. By looking at how clothing is resold in markets like Kantamanto, or electronics harvested by ‘burner boys’ in the now non-existent Agbogbloshie, and repaired in Accra. We could learn how to think about waste differently and in a more productive way. Repairing to reduce waste Oliver points out the way that Right to Repair uniquely benefits electronics users in places like Ghana. Here it is even more important that software updates and such are ensured for many years, as the lives of these electronics are being extended beyond their first user. We also discuss the huge issue that is ‘must-shred’ contracts and how an appalling amount of brand-new and usable tech is being shredded constantly. As it didn’t make it into the book, Oliver takes a chance to talk about his experience attending a Hackney Fixers Restart Party, praising the positivity and energy. He speaks about the sentimental value of repair and the way it strengthens our connections with our stuff, and unites people across the world. Links: Read Wasteland: The Dirty Truth about What We Throw Away, Where It Goes, and Why It Matters The Guardian: ‘I spot brand new TVs, here to be shredded’: the truth about our electronic waste by Oliver Franklin-Wallis More on these topics: Restart Podcast Ep 29: Tracing global flows of electronic ‘discards’ with Josh Lepawsky [Feature images courtesy of Oliver Franklin-Wallis] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 89: What happens to your waste? with Oliver Franklin-Wallis appeared first on The Restart Project.

Have you ever binned or recycled something that was still working, or could have been repaired? The answer is likely, yes. Based on the results of our recent Waste Composition Analysis, conducted with West London Waste Authority (WLWA), it’s a habit that is even more common than we thought.  This March, we spent a week looking at small electrical products brought to the Abbey Road Household Waste and Recycling Centre, and analysed what could have been reused and repaired. In this episode, we tell you more about the results of this study. Ugo also spoke to Emma Beal, Managing Director at WLWA, about the state of recycling and reuse in the UK and what she hopes we can do to improve the e-waste issue.  From novel to normal When thinking about how to shift public attitudes to waste, Emma points out that once we work as a whole, change comes quite easily. She cites the non-existent practice of recycling three decades ago compared to how common it is now. As our waste problem grows, she believes that a shift to reuse is inevitable. And when people look back in decades to come, they will be incredulous to the fact that it was not always the norm. But how do we make it commonplace now? We need to rethink the definition of waste, as Emma states: “Waste is defined by the person who is not wanting it anymore…the regulation flows from the fact that it has been defined as waste. And it’s only wasted because it’s not wanted, it doesn’t mean it’s not useful, it doesn’t mean it’s not valuable.” We need to see our stuff as valuable, even once we don’t want it anymore. And this doesn’t just need to be done at council level but also within our communities. What’s happening in reuse? While we’d love to, we recognise it’s not possible to reuse everything. Repairing, and even just testing products takes time and money, and we also know that there isn’t the demand to reuse everything. For those at the receiving end, though, reuse is incredibly beneficial. We’ve seen this through our work donating laptops and running the Brent Fixing Factory with WLWA. And there are of course also huge environmental benefits. Emma tells us about their work monitoring the costs and logistics of reuse, in a hope to be able to scale it in a reasonable way.  She tells us about some of the other projects that are working to increase reuse such as, Manchester Renew Hub, reuse shops on waste sites, and our very own Fixing Factory. These initiatives are important not only in developing and testing ways to keep things in use, but also to make reuse more visible to the public. This visibility and communication is what Emma believes will really push reuse to become more popular with the public. Once people see how important it is, there’s no stopping it. Links: Read more about our case study: What a waste: our study shows almost half of electricals sent for recycling could be reused Fixing Factory West London Waste [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 88: Saving reusable products from the shredder, with West London Waste Authority appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we take a deep-dive into a local repair and reuse ecosystem. Brighton seemed like a great case study for this so we spoke to Victoria Jackson and Sam Jarman from Brighton Repair Café and Dr David Greenfield from Tech-Takeback, two of the amazing projects working together to reduce waste in the city.  A decade of repair with Brighton Repair Café Brighton Repair Café is one of the longest-running repair cafés in the UK, holding their first event all the way back in 2013. Victoria and Sam were both studying sustainable design at the time and were interested in the journeys that we take with our things, from their design inception, to when they break, to how we can reconnect through repair. They were inspired by the Dutch repair café model to hold their first repair session and since then, have been steadily running events around the city. They’ve also served as inspiration for more repair cafés popping up in Brighton and Hove and the surrounding area, and are part of the Community Repair Network.  Victoria and Sam share what they have learned from running repair events for so long, from de-gendering repair to making sure that its a fun and rewarding activity. They believe that repair is so rewarding that once someone has a positive experience, that’s all they need for it to snowball into something bigger. “It is quite experiential. So as soon as someone experiences that opportunity, we don’t have to do too much work in that respect because they understand how good they feel when they fix that object with the support of somebody else. They also understand how important those communities are.” It’s their hope that in the future, repair will become so popular that there will be a repair cafe in every town, university, and school. They believe that the knock-on effect of teaching young people about repair would be huge, especially with how many skills have been lost over recent decades. And they’ve already started this mission, working with a local university to set up a student-led repair café.  Repairing at Brighton Repair Café [Photo courtesy of Brighton Repair Café] Give and take with Tech-Takeback We then talk to David from Tech-Takeback, who were recent collaborators with Brighton Repair Café as part of Brighton council’s Circular Saturday scheme. Tech-Takeback began in 2016 as pop-up events in Brighton and London, expanding in 2020 into the organisation that they are now. They run RevaluElectricals, collecting unwanted and broken electrical devices from Brighton residents to hopefully give them a new life. David gives as a breakdown of some of their data including, the most collected devices and the massive amount of e-waste that has been saved since they started. 25,000 items have already gone on to have a second life! He explains their processes for reusing tech, it’s an elaborate process but worth it. Much of the collected items end up going to charities, being sold in the Revaluit shop, or being given away on Freegle. And while some items do end up being recycled, they are first stripped for useful parts and materials. “We need the government to start thinking about the metrics for reuse. Everything at the moment is focused on recycling…above recycling, we should be having refurbishment, repair, remanufacturing, reuse, and we should be having prevention.” Not only do Tech-Takeback reduce e-waste and provide affordable tech to those who need it, the data that they have gathered during their work has been incredibly informative for our own research and for the larger repair ecosystem.  Repair event at Tech-Takeback [Photo courtesy of Tech-Takeback]Brighton Repair Café and Tech-Takeback, are examples of projects that we need to have in every part of the UK. These aspirations though, need a lot of support, especially from the government and local councils. All of our guests agree that not enough is currently being done, pointing to Wales as an example of a truly bolstered repair culture. We hope to use the connections built and data collected by projects like these to inform our work and campaign for Right to Repair across the whole of the UK – and the world.  Links: Brighton Repair Café Tech-Takeback Restart Podcast Ep. 71: Fixing at Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement Community Repair Network [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.]   The post Restart Podcast Ep. 87: Exploring Brighton’s repair and reuse ecosystem appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month we talked to author and communicator, Katie Treggiden about her recent book entitled, Broken: Mending & Repair in a Throwaway World. Katie has put decades of thought into helping creatives and makers become more sustainable but also forgive themselves when they can’t be.  Back to her roots Having grown up surrounded by nature in Cornwall, Katie tells us about her surprising origin story. She spent over a decade working in advertising before pivoting towards her life-long love of writing. With this, she also folded in a new interest – purpose-driven craft and design. Since then, she has explored what this actually means through writing dissertations, books, and hosting a podcast on the topic. With all this experience under her belt, she decided that she wanted to help makers develop their working practices to fit the circular future that we need to build. How craftspeople are using repair Katie has previously written about waste and reuse, and her new book Broken puts the focus on repair. She shares some standout case studies from the book of artists and craftspeople who are incorporating repair into their work. These include Celia Pym, Bridget Harvey, Ekta Kaul – all artists who explore repair in entirely different ways.  L-R: Work by Celia Pym, Bridget Harvey, and Ekta Kaul Katie notes her interest in the different ways repair can be used for example, as a tool to restore practical value, or to add artistic value, or even for self-care. We talk about where repair and hacking fits into the larger culture of craft, and more specifically the ‘craft of use’. She notes how much more difficult electronic repair often is compared to more traditional craft and making. This is especially true now that manufacturers make an effort to conceal the craftsmanship that goes into making (and therefore taking apart and repairing) our devices.  Letting go of guilt in order to move forward While individual action is of course important, system change is essential for the scale of the problem we are dealing with. When running her courses for creatives, Katie really focuses on this point as key to forward movement. Instead of being weighed down by the personal guilt of climate breakdown, makers need to be led by curiosity and experimentation instead of sustainability perfectionism. We all have a part to play in helping the planet, but it is not our responsibility alone.  “I think really until companies are responsible for the things they sell for their whole lifetime, repair is not going to be the norm.” Additionally, she stresses the need to be compassionate. There are so many reasons why people may not repair. These include social stigma, a lack of time or resources, or that their stuff is simply not designed to be repaired. Knocking down these barriers is not something anyone can do on their own, rather, we need collective action to change the system. Practising ‘defiant hope’ It’s difficult to stay optimistic about our power to enact change but Katie believes hope is one of the most important tools we have. There isn’t a one size fits all solution to being sustainable, but what can join us all together in our efforts is our common goal. “One of the most important parts of my job is staying hopeful and and helping to keep other people hopeful.” Links: Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure by Katie Treggiden Broken: Mending & Repair in a Throwaway World by Katie Treggiden Cultivating Hope in the Face of the Climate Crisis – a free three-part mini-course The Future We Choose by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac [Photos courtesy of Katie Treggiden] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 86: Why repairers need hope, not guilt, with Katie Treggiden appeared first on The Restart Project.

This week we’ve been celebrating London Repair Week by highlighting the heroic repair businesses all over the city. Our directory of repair shops, LondonRepairs.org, was recently relaunched with a new dedicated website. Here you can find over 300 reliable businesses to fix your stuff. In this month’s podcast, we spoke to two of these repairers about their passion for fixing, the barriers to their work and what could revitalise the repair economy.  Meet the businesses Junaid Syed is one half of the team of brothers that run Holborn-based Saras Fix. Having grown up repairing and fixing computers in their mother’s school, they have a lifetime of experience to draw on when fixing customers’ electronics. He recounts a very memorable repair that he performed during the lockdown, when he had to take a risk that absolutely paid off and helped someone in need.  Junaid and his brother, Jawad at their shop Xenis Stylianou has been in the electronics repair trade for over 30 years and runs his business, Zen’s Electronics Workshop near Finsbury Park. Having learned his trade through training schemes and skilling up with different engineers, he explains how difficult it is to gain experience this way nowadays. He believes that a lot more support for professional repair is needed, especially in terms of training paths and apprenticeships, otherwise we risk losing these essential skills to time.  Xenis and Junaid repairing at their shops The state of repair today With so many decades of fixing experience, Xenis can give us a first hand account of how things have changed. Speaking on his area of expertise of audio-visual equipment, he tells us that not only has everything become harder to open, and therefore repair, but also products are being produced at much lower quality than in decades past.  “It’s a top down thing…over time manufacturers have actually reduced their build quality to come in line with the cheaper brands. And because now everything’s built to cost, the engineer at the other end repairing the equipment is not taken into consideration anymore.” Both Junaid and Xenis agree that the various barriers that manufacturers put on repair are not only affecting the operation of repair businesses but also the customer’s autonomy to make choices about their device.  Keeping repair alive So, if being a professional repairer is so challenging, how do they find the drive to keep it up? Xenis and Junaid care about their customers and reducing electronic waste. Junaid describes it as “giving back a second life to the broken devices which would’ve ended up in a landfill” and it’s an aspect of repair that he’s incredibly passionate about. He also regularly volunteers at repair events, donating his time and years of experience to help people learn to repair their own stuff. No matter if people want to try to repair their stuff at home or bring it straight to a professional, he stresses that London’s repair businesses are here to help.  Links: London Repairs Saras Fix Zen’s Electronics Workshop [Photo courtesy of Saras Fix and Zen’s Electronics Workshop] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 85: The local businesses giving your stuff a ‘second life’ appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, join us for an expert panel on community-led high street repair! We gathered together Katie Bellaris from Re:Make Newport, Elaine Brown from Edinburgh Remakery, Sue Briggs from The General Store Selkirk, and Lorna Montgomery from Share and Repair Bath to talk about their experiences setting up high street repair projects in their area. We’re hoping that by hearing about their different operating models, approaches, and tips and tricks it will inspire some of you to support repair and reuse on your local high street.  The money question All of these ventures run with slightly different business models and approaches to funding their work. What they all agree on is the central role of generous donations from their local communities. Whether it’s financial donations, volunteering or donations in cake form, it all helps to keep them running. Sue also taught us a new term, referring to The General Store as a ‘repairmongers’, steadfastly placing themselves as a community institution. The General Store Selkirk [Photo courtesy of The General Store Selkirk] Reaching out We ruminate on how the location and demographics of each project’s local area affects the way that they operate. Whether it is the difference in affluence between Bath and Newport, or the remoteness of Selkirk in comparison to Edinburgh Remakery’s shopping centre location. What Katie loves about Re:Make Newport – echoed by everyone else – is the way that their shop brings people together.  “The essence of what we do is all about community, it’s about bringing people together. And I love being in the shop and the atmosphere there is electric. You’ve got people of all generations, all ages talking about repair and sharing tips and knowledge and the way that they look at repair and reuse.” Inside Re:Make Newport [Image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 2.0.] What about you? So what if you want to start a project like this? Our panel say ask others for help. They’ve found that other people in the repair space are more than happy to share their expertise and experience. After all, we are all working towards the same goal of more accessible repair and reuse for all. We want a repair and reuse hub in every town across the UK. In London we’re starting with Fixing Factories and can’t wait to see where they take us. And in case you’re wondering about the cryptic comment in her introduction, in a previous life Sue played a murder victim on the TV show Taggart! Links: Re:Make Newport Edinburgh Remakery The General Store Selkirk Share and Repair Bath Restart Podcast Ep. 81: Launching the new Fixing Factory [Feature collage images courtesy of Mark A Phillips, The General Store Selkirk, Edinburgh Remakery] [Image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 2.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 84: Repairmongers, remakeries, and repair hubs appeared first on The Restart Project.

It’s been an ongoing question in our community of how to get young people involved in repair culture. In this month’s podcast, we were delighted to talk to students, Carl Mau and Beat Schneiderhan, and their teachers, Felix Lossin and Walter Kraus, who have a plan. Based at the Rudolf Steiner School in Munich, not only do they have a weekly repair cafe led by students but lessons on repairing are also integrated into their curriculum. And they have created a guidebook on how to start a student repair shop at any school. We spoke to them about this innovative idea and how it has been received by students.  Integrating repair Carl and Beat tell us about their experience being students of the repair workshop and how excited they are to share the opportunity with more schools. In addition to their weekly repair cafe, students who opt to study repair have up to four dedicated classes per week. They feel that the skills they are learning in their repair classes will stay with them for the rest of their lives, and in some cases seem much more applicable than more traditional classes. The ‘learning by doing’ ethos They describe the teaching method of the repair classes as “learning by doing”, often the students are encouraged to work without the assistance of teachers as much as possible. Carl points out that this has made him more confident to attempt repairs at home and he hopes that this mindset will carry on once he graduates.  “It’s the realisation that the students kind of lose their fear of something so easy. When they see how easy it is they get used to it and will repair for themselves. And every time something is broken, they are ready to try to repair it.” Fixing Things for the Future Finally, we discuss their guide called Fixing Things for the Future. It details how to start a student repair workshop from scratch, covering everything from tools to tutorials. Felix points out how important student safety is when operating one of these projects. The guidebook has an extensive section on how to keep students safe and help them confidently deal with electricals.  Beat hopes that in the future there will be a repair workshop at every school, in every country! If this sounds like something you could help set up, they now have an English version of the guide available for download.  Links Find the guide here Schueler-reparaturwerkstatt or here Culture of Repair Our Fixfest 2022 session with Fixing Things for the Future Last month, we spoke to a company introducing repair to even younger children – Restart Podcast Ep. 82: No need for new toys, we have Team Repair [Photos courtesy of Felix Lossin] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 83: Meet the students Fixing Things for the Future appeared first on The Restart Project.

We’re officially in the holiday season now and like many, we have presents and toys on the mind. For our December episode, we spoke to Anaïs Engelmann and Megan Hale from Team Repair.  They run a 12-month fixing programme that could be a perfect gift for any young person in your life.  Starting fixers young The team of Team Repair is composed of five design engineering graduates who are linked by their passion for reducing e-waste. Their company aims to introduce and teach children about repair and sustainability, each month sending them a new gadget to fix. These gadgets include hand-held game consoles and remote controlled cars – its such a fresh and engaging approach to capturing children’s minds.  Anaïs and Megan explain to us how they came to repair at different stages of their lives, proving that it is never the wrong time to learn these crucial skills. They believe that getting children interested in repair early is integral to inspiring our next generation of fixers and repair-friendly designers.  Another lovely aspect of the Team Repair model is encouraging generational skill sharing. Whether it is parents helping their children with the repair kits, or Team Repair themselves going into schools. At Restart, we recognise how important this skill sharing is in teaching younger people and also not letting this knowledge be lost to time. Building in circularity They tell us how a key feature of their project is building circularity into their work. It is not necessarily a popular approach with investors but Team Repair recognise the importance of this aspect of their work. In an effort to solve the issue of e-waste, it only makes sense to reuse the gadgets that they send out.  Their hope is that by educating children on repair and waste reduction, these skills will come in handy when Right to Repair legislation also moves forwards in the coming years. It’s a hope that we definitely share and are working towards making a reality all the time. Team Repair’s fixing programme is such a cool concept and we cannot wait to see how it develops and what other toys there are to fix! Links Learn more about Team Repair Find them on Instagram and Twitter [Photos courtesy of Team Repair] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 82: No need for new toys, we have Team Repair appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we spoke to Restart’s Shelini Kotecha and Possible’s Dermot Jones about Fixing Factories. We’ve been working with Possible to open up two Fixing Factories this year, gathering lots of interest along the way. The Brent Factory, based in the Abbey Road waste facility opened in April this year and has been a hub for laptop repair and reuse. At the end of October, we were excited to finally open the Camden site, on Queen’s Crescent high street. Queens Crescent Fixing Factory will fix any small electronics and get lots of new people into fixing.   The new Camden Fixing Factory Dermot tells us about the wonderful celebration that marked the opening of the Camden Fixing Factory. It was a great community showing, with neighbours coming together and sharing homemade food and knowledge with each other.  He also tells us about their plans for making the Fixing Factory self-sustaining, including some creative ways to get artists involved in adding value to repaired items. The opportunities for involvement are seemingly endless and span a wide range of fixing abilities. Dermot also does a shout out for the evening repair club, which provides a fun space for tinkerers who want to get started in their learning or take on more time consuming repairs.  Learning from each other We’ve learnt an incredible amount over the last months working at the Brent Fixing Factory. Shelini shares with us some of the lessons that have come out of the project. She also highlights the power of our volunteers in shaping what the Fixing Factory has become. Both Shelini and Dermot make it abundantly clear that this is an ever evolving process, and that everyone who is involved is helping mould it into the best version that it can be. The Camden site will be shaped by the months of experimentation already done at the Brent site. But with a different type of location and more opportunities for public engagement, there are also a whole raft of new lessons to be learned. They share some wonderful stories of how the Fixing Factory project has affected both volunteers and patrons alike. From helping exchange students find inner-confidence to encouraging a member of the public to further advance her education in fixing. It’s stories like these that give us inspiration as the project progresses.  Links Fixing Factory Read more about the Camden launch Restart Radio: Introducing Fixing Factories Possible Upcoming events [Images by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 2.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 81: Launching the new Fixing Factory appeared first on The Restart Project.

From 30th September – 2nd October, members of the repair community from all over the world gathered together to share their ideas and passion at Fixfest 2022. From fixers and tinkerers, to academics and activists we all had something to teach and learn from each other. It was a chance to explore new ideas, hear different perspectives, and – perhaps most importantly – interact in person for the first time in a while.  In this episode, we wanted to make the most of this rare opportunity. We spoke to 7 Fixfest attendees about where repair is now and where they hope to see it in the future. You’ll hear a host of different voices including:  Clare Seek from Repair Café Portsmouth, UK Nathan Proctor from PIRG, USA Melina Scioli from Club de Reparadores, Argentina Leanne Wiseman from Griffith University, Australia Purna Sarkar from Repair Café Bengaluru, India Mathew Lubari from Community Creativity for Development (CC4D), Uganda Mike Kavanagh from Repair Café Pavia, Italy What does Repair Everywhere mean to you? The theme for 2022’s Repair Day, also celebrated this October, was ‘Repair Everywhere’, and we wanted to know what this phrase meant to our community. To some it was an aspiration, a desire for repair to be visible everywhere – in schools, community centres, in our media, on high streets, and even in prisons. For others, it represents the overwhelming prevalence of repair in our lives and culture. Our speakers argue that it’s not that repair isn’t happening, rather that it’s not being highlighted as the essential tool that it is.  Repair’s impact on cost of living The cost of living crisis has been all-consuming recently. We know that repair and reuse will be integral tools to tackle this issue and help those who cannot afford to buy new. But we’re curious to know how this presents in other parts of the world.  Looking to the future of repair policy We also delved into the state of the Right to Repair movement across the globe. We are all at different points in our fight for a real Right to Repair. For some, the movement is almost non-existent in their country. Mathew tells us how excited he is to be the first person to bring this issue to light in his country. In the US, it seems that public opinion is in firm support of Right to Repair, now it’s time to push for this right to be legally supported and protected. Leanne tells us about the burgeoning movement in Australia, and the steps that have been taken by their government to put the wheels in motion on what the Right to Repair could look like in their country. Ultimately, we’re all at different stages of our journey towards Right to Repair. But one thing that Fixfest showed us is how united we are in the goal of bringing back repair.  Links: Fixfest That’s a wrap – Fixfest 2022 ‘We Will Fix It’ from Fixfest 2022  Our previous interview with Mathew Lubari [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 2.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 80: Voices of Fixfest 2022 appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we had a very handy conversation with some friends from our sponsor eSpares. Eleanor Cochrane and Mariya Peynova are the Brand Manager and Social Media Manager for eSpares, respectively. We took this opportunity to properly introduce our listeners to their work and also answer a few questions about household repair and maintenance. In the process, we learned that there is probably a lot more regular maintenance that we should all be doing. This advice came at a perfect time, as we’re encouraging everyone to give their things a new lease of life in the lead up to Repair Day on 15th October. You can learn more about how we’re celebrating and get involved here! Dare to repair First, we chatted about how eSpares are empowering their customers to fix their own stuff. They tell us about the trove of repair manuals, tutorials, and more that can be found on their website. Eleanor also shares her own stories of initial DIY repairs and her experience of the concerns that many beginners will have. They hope that the content on their website and the support that they provide will give customers more confidence to give repairing a go. “What we do try and do is educate people about their rights…this should be something that they’re entitled to. Choice is something that we should always have when it comes to machines that we have bought.” We discuss accessibility of spare parts and the way that consumer calls for repairability have progressed over recent years. Mariya posits that due to the rising cost of living, people are more keen to repair their things. They also share an anecdote which proves that this is definitely the right thinking. One of their customers managed to repair a second-hand range oven and save thousands of pounds in the process. Eleanor and Mariya use these types of stories to prove that repair is really possible for everyone (even if manufacturers make it difficult on purpose) if you have good support and learning materials. Maintenance: a very good place to start In the second half of the episode, Eleanor and Mariya answer repair queries sent in by the public. They share the most common and first port of call fixes that are likely to be causing the problem. A lot of these fixes are related to maintenance of your machine. They recommend that you regularly check the filter of your washing machine, tumble dryer, and vacuum cleaner. It’s a super helpful reminder and encouraging that a relatively small fix can be the answer to your machine working 100% again. If you want to attempt any of these fixes or something more technically complicated, the information and help that you need are on the eSpares site. Eleanor tells us about all the channels that they are using to spread repair information and tutorials. There are so many written tutorials on their website, or if you are more visually inclined they also regularly post on their YouTube channel and TikTok account. The key take away from our chat with Eleanor and Mariya is: don’t be afraid to try repair. Even if you’re not feeling confident now, there is a plethora of information out there and often, someone to offer moral support along the way. Now go clean those vacuum filters! Links: eSpares website eSpares YouTube Try one of these fixes on Repair Day 2022 The post Restart Podcast Ep. 79: eSpares wants you to clean your filters appeared first on The Restart Project.

To wrap up our summer season, we’re giving listeners a proper introduction to Restart’s new(ish) Co-Director, Fiona Dear. You will have heard Fiona’s voice a couple times on Restart Radio in the last few months, and her fingerprints are all over the new projects that we’re working on. Dave spoke to Fiona when she had just joined Restart to have a conversation about how she became the perfect fit for her new role. A journey through repair Starting out as a student of repair, Fiona tells us about the differences between experiencing Restart Parties as an attendee versus organiser. Fiona’s repair background is mostly in the realm of mending and upcycling. She tells us about her rather swift introduction to electrical repair after having to repair her phone only weeks after joining Restart. It was a challenge but with the help of both our community and professional repairers, she managed to successfully save her device. She shares how this experience opened her eyes to the importance of in-person repairing and learning from one another. Conservation at home and abroad From Costa Rica to North London, Fiona has been making change. She shares her experience of studying conservation of Scarlet macaws in the rainforest and the winding path that led her to focus her masters dissertation on human behaviour. In her own neighbourhood, Fiona has also been making change. She has campaigned for a low traffic zone, introduced regular Play Street sessions, and organised a waste reduction project. This work in her personal life only shows how massive her impact will be at Restart. Through this, in addition to intensive experience working for The Climate Coalition and on Great Big Green Week, she has built an in-depth understanding of how to engage and mobilise the public. Shaping the future of Restart Since she started at Restart, Fiona hit the ground running working on Fixing Factories. With one location already open in Brent and another coming to Camden in the fall, it’s an incredibly exciting project with some brilliant partners involved. The project allows us to push for digital inclusion while engaging further with the public – hopefully, inviting more people into the repair community. A perfect way to pursue Fiona’s goal of making repair mainstream. “It’s still evolving…it’s all about extending the life of electronics. What’s coming to the fore now is reuse – laptop fixing and redistribution during the pandemic. You’ve got a lot more companies selling refurbished tech now.” We also discuss the new directions that Restart’s work is moving in. Much of our current work like repair events, the repair directory, data work, are of course, focused on repair. Now though, we are making renewed efforts to support reuse. Fiona explains how this will come to fruition in new projects with palpable excitement. Links: The Climate Coalition The Great Big Green Week Fixing Factory Restart Radio: Introducing Fixing Factories [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 2.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 78: Meet our new(ish) Co-Director, Fiona Dear appeared first on The Restart Project.

It’s a bumper episode this month but how could it not be when we’re celebrating the 10 year anniversary of our first Restart Party! This episode is an auditory snapshot of Restart as we head into our second decade as an organisation. Earlier in the month, we got together with volunteers, allies, longtime collaborators and supporters to celebrate the last 10 years. While we were there, Dave caught up with some of our guests for a moment of conversation and reflection.  Back to the beginning So first, how are we all feeling? Ugo and Janet both reflect on the initial goals of Restart and why they started the organisation. They were inspired by their work in the Global South and witnessing how people kept their things going – often out of necessity. Seeing this in contrast to overconsumption in the Global North, pushed them to bring that approach to the London community. Ugo discusses how surprised he was by the enthusiasm they saw at that first event and how it has only continued to motivate our work since. From our founders to trustees, looking back on the last decade is emotional and rewarding.  “We figured out that it was entirely possible, doable, and actually quite exciting and fun. And that has been always at the heart – making sure that it is fun, it’s inclusive, it’s engaging, and it increases your own confidence in trying to repair and save things from getting lost and wasted.” Ugo says that Restart’s aims have not actually changed very much in the last decade. Rather, they have scaled up and found other avenues through which to make change. While the community events that Restart was founded on are still key to our strategy. So is Right to Repair campaigning, data interpreting and system change at scale. How has fixing impacted you? We hear from trustees and historic volunteers about their favourite moments of Restart and their favourite fixes. The overwhelming answer seems to be: all of them! And there is a clear sense that what is gained from community repair is not just the working device but the knowledge gained and skills shared.  “Whatever you are fixing, it’s just as much fun…Even if it’s a simple fix, somebody goes home happy. You got home happy because you found something interesting out about something, had a nice chat with someone. That’s what the important thing is the human relationships.” Ugo gives praise to our volunteers for always being here to help us learn and grow. Whether it is explaining the technicalities of repairs, to providing essential feedback on how best to run events, our community are vital. Feeling proud of the past, and looking to the future Ugo shares some of his proudest moments in Restart’s last decade. He highlights the policy gains that we have made and the growth and influence of Right to Repair across Europe and elsewhere. We have a long way to go but we are more than ready to take this work on. He points out that we will not achieve our goal by relying on manufacturers to make altruistic change. Rather, we need to push lawmakers to legislation that guarantees our Right to Repair. This way, we can reduce waste and make a dent in the massive challenge of the climate crisis. (We’re also super happy to hear that the podcast itself has been influencing policy makers!) Janet also highlights the need to work more with young people. Whether by upping numbers of younger attendees at events or training the next generation of professional repairers. This work has already begun with the Fixing Factory project and partnerships with amazing organisations like Mer-IT. Getting the public and new faces involved is a big part of how we hope Restart’s message can continue to grow. Thanks to Janet, Mike, Fidi, Sophia, Ben, Panda, Dave, and Stefania for talking to us. And thank YOU for being a part of Restart in the last 10 years – we hope you are looking forward to the next decade. Links: Please take 5 seconds to vote for us for PayPal’s Giving Fund Celebrating our 10th birthday Meet some of our volunteers Mer-IT [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 77: Reflecting on our first 10 years appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we were super excited to talk to Ben Wood. Ben is Chief Analyst at CCS Insight and also the founder of the Mobile Phone Museum. All this to say, Ben is an expert in the field of mobile phone design and history. We talked to him about some of the coolest phone design trends of the past and what innovation is still happening. He also shared some very encouraging statistics from consumer studies that CCS Insight have conducted. These show that repairability and long-lasting devices are at the front of consumers’ minds.  Why did the Mobile Phone Museum start? Ben tells us about the inception of the Mobile Phone Museum, a collection of over 5,000 devices. He started the collection when he witnessed the disposal of phones in which he recognised historic and educational value. From then on, he set his sights on saving and preserving these retired devices.  Not all of the phones are truly functioning but they are carefully stored with design integrity in mind. Ben tells us about some of the sneaky swaps they make – like curly cords from guitar amps – to keep the phones looking their most authentic. The phones are all archived on the museum’s website and it’s wonderful to see the array of shapes and colours that purvey older phone design. In 2021, the collection was temporarily exhibited in person for public viewing and Ben hopes that similar events can start up again soon. They also bring the collection into schools in the hope that it will inspire the next generation of designers. Education is integral to the mission of the Mobile Phone Museum, especially as newer generations grow up with smartphones as the norm. If you would like to explore the collection, each model has been beautifully photographed on the museum’s website.  Resistant and repairable rainbow phones Early Nokia models like the 2110, and the Motorola V70 are among Ben’s favourite phones in the collection. And he seems to have a penchant for the nostalgic entries. He also tells us about some stand-out designs like a phone modelled after a James Bond gadget, and a rainbow Motorola. Our big question was: were mobile phones more repairable in the past? Ben says that they were definitely more durable. If your phone screen was less likely to break in the first place, there was less need to repair it. But it is true that the modularity of these older models made them simpler to take apart and replace these broken parts. Ben makes a case for Fairphone being the glimmer of hope for a more repairable future. This return to modularity would make spare part replacements easier and upgrades as well. Is actual innovation still happening? Ben believes that innovation in smartphone design has been slowing down rapidly in recent years. In comparison to the massive leaps in camera spec that we might have seen in the 2000s and 2010s. The visual design of phones has also become very homogenous, leaving little variation between models.  “The honest truth at the moment is phones have got pretty boring since Steve Jobs walks onto the stage in San Francisco in January 2007 and pulled the iPhone out of his pocket. And that really established this dominant design of the black rectangle with a touch screen and a camera on the back. And that’s the world that we’ve lived in.” While not optimal for screen replacement, he is excited by the folding displays that have recently entered the market. We agree that this lack of innovation though may be helpful in slowing down consumer demand. At the moment, it seems that manufacturers are having to use gimmicks like new colourschemes, rather than undertaking real innovation in the sector. Consumers are calling for repair What’s really exciting for our work at Restart are the studies from CCS Insight’s Connected Consumer Radar. They found that “compared to 12 months ago, we now see that 57% of consumers are more conscious about the impact that their purchases are making on the environment.” He also shares that the length of time that customers are keeping their phones has gotten longer and that more people have the desire to repair their devices when they break. What is important then, is making these repairs possible. This is what we push for on the Right to Repair campaign.  “Making a phone last is much more than just the physical aspects of the device…can you get the security updates onto the device? And right now it’s very, very encouraging to see phone manufacturers starting to say that they will support updates for at least four years.” Ben has hope that repair will become more common and possible, citing recent moves by major manufacturers towards this. He also notes that legislation will be needed to ensure that these early moves snowball into more substantial change. Again, he says that companies like Fairphone are leading the way in terms of repair innovation and hopes that this level of modularity will become more common as the market changes. Links: Mobile Phone Museum CCS Insight BCS: Extend the lifespan of smartphones to tackle chip shortages Restart Radio Takeover: Why we replace our phones The post Restart Podcast Ep. 76: Funky phones and durable design, with Ben Wood appeared first on The Restart Project.

We’ve had a busy month here at Restart. On April 23rd, we launched the first Fixing Factory site in the Abbey Road Reuse and Recycling Centre, Brent. It’s a project that we are ecstatic has finally become a reality and we can’t wait to see how it blossoms. For this episode of Restart Radio, Ugo Vallauri is joined by our Co-Director, Fiona Dear and London Network Coordinator, Shelini Kotecha. They have been working closely on the project and shared with us the experience so far.  Self-repair on the horizon Firstly though, we discuss some recent news stories in the world of electronics repair. Last week, it was announced that the Austrian Repair Bonus was coming into action across the country. This made us more than a little envious. We then cover a study released by Microsoft which makes a surprisingly strong case for increased product repairability (not that that’s news to us). In a similar vein, Samsung, Google, and Apple have all recently announced steps towards self-repair, including the availability of spare parts. We break down how effective these moves might be and what needs to happen next to achieve a real Right to Repair.  What are Fixing Factories? Fiona and Shelini tell us how the opening of the first Fixing Factory location went. We celebrated the day in Brent with partners on the project and it was wonderful to see the space come to life. Fiona explains how the Fixing Factory project first came about and our collaboration with Possible and other partners to make a longtime dream of Restart come true. We outline the mission to bring repair into view of the public and provide learning opportunities. As part of this goal, Fiona tells us about the school that they visited just ahead of launch in order to promote the project to young people, and get feedback. It’s inspiring to see how passionate and interested the school children were in repair, even after just a couple of hours of tinkering inside a phone.  We’re working with a lot of amazing partners on this project, including Ready Tech Go, Possible, West London Waste Authority and Mer-IT, many of which you may have heard on Restart Radio at some point. Shelini tells us about the work that Ready Tech Go is doing at the Brent site, refurbishing used laptops to donate them to people in need. In fact, if you have a laptop you’re no longer using you can get involved today! You can either drop it off at the Brent site or visit one of our dropboxes at Greenford Recycling Centre or Townmead Recycling Centre. Find the details here.   What’s next? Lastly, Shelini and Fiona look toward the future and share with us the vision for the second location. In the summer, Fixing Factories will come to a high street in Camden with the support of Possible. We hope to provide a community space for repair and encourage people’s curiosity about fixing. With the support of Mer-IT, we also plan to teach repair skills to future technicians. Through this course and volunteering opportunities, we hope to create career pathways for young people and support a thriving repair economy in London.  Links: Fixing Factory Fixing Factories: And we’re off Grist: Apple just launched its first self-repair program. Other tech companies are about to follow The Verge: ​​Samsung is working on a Galaxy self-repair program with iFixit Motherboard: Google Will Sell Pixel Batteries, Repair Parts to Customers iFixit: Apple’s Self-Repair Vision Is Here, and It’s Got a Catch iPad Rehab: Apple’s Self Repair: These conditions should be ILLEGAL! Restart Podcast Ep. 74: Why digital access is a right, with Ready Tech Go Restart Radio: Reusing laptops for digital inclusion with Mer-IT and Hackney Fixers [Images by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.] The post Restart Radio: Introducing Fixing Factories appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we welcomed back Aaron Perzanowski to talk about his new book, The Right to Repair: Reclaiming the Things We Own. In the book, he explores how we got to this point of companies weaponising the law to make repair inaccessible and how legal reform can help. We discuss the developments in the technological and legal landscape that pushed him to revisit the topic of repair.  What we lose with ‘centralised’ repair Perzanowski’s writing on ‘communities of common interest’ will particularly resonate with the Restart community. He explains the multiple ways that authorised repair systems negatively impact consumers. They not only make it more practically difficult to repair our things but also strip learning opportunities from us. It reminds us of what is so important about coming together at repair events to fix collaboratively. And it’s not just independent repairers or the environment that gets damaged by such restrictive repair. The last time we spoke to Perzanowski, we considered how authorised repair could affect us during the pandemic. We question whether we learned from the experiences of the last two years and how correct we were. What has really been exposed, he says, is the fragility of these centralised systems. “That’s the big lesson in repair generally, right? We have to be prepared for things to go wrong. And too often, our systems right now simply are not ready or willing to anticipate the sort of inevitable disruptions that make repair necessary in the first place.” Weaponising vs. reforming the law We’re curious to know how it can be possible that repair is so controlled. Perzanowski explains the different laws that have allowed manufacturers to limit independent repair so greatly. He cites the use of software locks and digital patents as two of the most pressing issues in this space. We’ve heard first-hand that software locks and part serialisation are affecting many independent repairers and that we talk to. Repairers know all too well how disheartening it can be to see the law be used to block repair. But there is hope. Perzanowski shares some ways in which the law can actually be used to protect repair and what changes can be made. Some of this framework is already in place but he believes that the long-term approach we take needs major reform. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission in the US took steps toward supporting the Right to Repair. They also plan on enforcing existing rules more aggressively. But Perzanowski says we need bolder and more innovative action. We discuss how we can use both competition and consumer rights laws to tackle the issues of centralised repair. There is a strong case for barring companies like Apple from claiming to repair devices when this is far from the truth. He learned from personal experience that what Apple claims to be ‘repair’ is really just selling customers a refurbished device as a replacement. When comparing governing styles, Perzanowski notes the difference in approaches between the EU and the US in their willingness to directly regulate manufacturers. He believes that the EU will lead the way on this issue – hopefully, creating a domino effect that influences global markets. A non-partisan issue One of the biggest glimmers of hope is the overwhelming public support for Right to Repair. According to research that Perzanowski undertook for his book – as well as polling conducted by Restart – R2R is a cause that crosses partisan boundaries, unlike other issues. He praises the work that R2R advocates have been doing in the US and believes that state-level change is a good starting point. Hopefully, putting pressure on major manufacturers will work hand in hand to create change. Link: The Right to Repair: Reclaiming the Things We Own Restart Podcast Ep. 51: Copyright law, ownership and crisis with Aaron Perzanowski U.S. PIRG: Hospital technicians renew urgent call for Right to Repair medical equipment [Feature image courtesy of Aaron Perzanowski] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 75: The law and repair: it’s complicated, with Aaron Perzanowski appeared first on The Restart Project.

With the opening of the first Fixing Factory fast approaching, we spoke to one of the partners we’ll be working with, Ready Tech Go (RTG). Nikos Souslous is one of the Co-Founders of Ready Tech Go. He talked to us about what inspired the organisation’s creation, the importance of digital access, and how RTG is going to evolve.  Recognising the need for digital access The idea for RTG was born at a food bank at the Clem Attlee Court Estate in Fulham, where co-founders were volunteering during the first UK lockdown. While helping those in need, they realised there was a different demand that needed addressing. Once schools stopped in-person teaching and community centres closed to the public, many people were struggling without online access. So, they set to work pooling their contacts and expertise to meet this need. RTG, an organisation that refurbishes and redistributes tech, was born.  Since then, RTG has helped over 500 people and their families by giving them a device. And it’s not only students that have benefited. RTG help out anyone who is recommended to them as in need. This includes school children, refugees, elderly people, and those who need to access services like applying for housing. Souslous shares examples with us of some of the lives that have been changed by their work, including a family with multiple children who previously shared a single device for schoolwork.  Understanding their community As an organisation led by people of colour, Nikos tells us how they have been able to empathise with the communities that they are helping. He explains that “the vast majority of [their] beneficiaries are of ethnic minority background” and their own experiences mean that they better understand their beneficiaries’ needs.  He also challenges the view that many hold about West London as an affluent area. Souslous points out that there is a huge disparity between communities. While this is a display of the wealth divide that the country suffers from, it also means that neighbours are able to help each other. He notes that there have been cases where a device has been donated to someone across the street from the donor, without either party knowing each other previously.  Fixing Factories and the future RTG is working with Restart on the Brent Fixing Factory that is opening in April. Souslous tells us how this project means that they can expand their team that has previously been majority volunteer-led. It’s a great time to build on and celebrate the work that they have done with existing partners, as well as expand further. We’re looking forward to catching up with the RTG team and other partners in a few months – until then stay tuned for developments! Links Ready Tech Go Donate a device to Ready Tech Go Our directory of laptop reuse projects across the UK Learn more about the Fixing Factories project [Photos courtesy of Ready Tech Go] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 74: Why digital access is a right, with Ready Tech Go appeared first on The Restart Project.

Four months after its launch on Repair Day 2021, we spoke to four people involved in the repair network, Repair Café Aotearoa New Zealand. Brigitte Sistig is the co-founder and project lead of RCANZ. Kahurangi Carter is National Coordinator for Māori Zero Waste organisation Para Kore. Sarah Pritchett is Sector Projects Manager for WasteMINZ. And Dr Paul Smith is Product Test Manager for Consumer NZ. Talking to the RCANZ network really reveals the diversity and partnership that is essential to the repair movement. Their attitude towards inclusivity is something that all can learn from. It is also good to know we are aligned in our fight for the Right to Repair, even on the other side of the world.  How repair respects the earth Carter starts us off with a traditional prayer to Ranginui and Papatūānuku. It’s a practice that “grounds us and connects us to our Sky Father and Earth Mother”. Carter speaks about the way that repair can act as a way to give back and respect the earth. It also encourages us to think about where our belongings really come from, rethinking their value. This sets the tone for our conversation on how the ethic and the history of Aotearoa inspire people to repair their things. “This is really the land of the Number 8 Wire – creativity, ingenuity. A culture where we just need to be very resourceful because we are very few people across quite a large landscape. And so you may not have access to parts or resources, or the means or funds to buy any new items.” Pritchett and Sistig also note the history and geography of Aotearoa meant that repair was the only option for a very long time. While the economy and global trade have now changed this, there is still an ingrained sense of scarcity and the need for autonomy. It is good to have options but they both note that a flourishing of this mindset would have many positive impacts. --> Using partnership to change policy We also discuss the petition that RCANZ is running in partnership with Consumer NZ, Greenpeace and more. They are calling for the government to:  Pass laws that require products to last longer and be easier to repair Take action to make repair services accessible and affordable for everyone Ensure consumers have access to information on product repairability and durability Require producers to offer spare parts and repair services These asks are very similar to what we are asking for here in the UK, and across Europe as well. But it is rare that consumer groups and community repairers work so closely together. Smith tells us about the power that this collaboration brings, describing Consumer NZ as a “megaphone for individuals”. He also tells us what learning they’ve done after watching the implementation of repairability indexes in Europe. The future of RCANZ Many of the proudest moments of RCANZ are linked to community building and the way that they have continued to grow and thrive despite the challenges of the last two years. Pritchett and Carter tell stories from repair cafés in Ōtautahi Christchurch where it was heartening to see people come together in a city that has endured recent crises. These are just a couple of examples of the resilience and solidarity of RCANZ and we cannot wait to see what comes next. Links: Find RCANZ on Facebook and Instagram Para Kore WasteMINZ Consumer NZ Map of Repair Cafes in Aotearoa Make it our Right to Repair petition by RCANZ Sign Restart’s Right to Repair petition Learn more about the Number 8 Wire [Images courtesy of RCANZ and Christchurch Repair Revolution] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 73: Repair Café Aotearoa New Zealand appeared first on The Restart Project.

As 2022 gets on the road, we spoke to Jenni Gwiazdowski, founder and Director of London Bike Kitchen. With cycling taking more prominence in recent years, due to concerns about pollution and safety on public transport, what better time to learn more about maintaining and fixing your bike? Gwiazdowski tells us about her journey from amateur fixer to bike repair savant and sharing these skills.  A decade of London Bike Kitchen The idea for London Bike Kitchen was conceived when Gwiazdowski wanted to learn how to build and maintain her own bike. After learning about the concept of bike kitchens from a friend, she decided to start her own, as London was lacking this type of space. Since its opening in 2012, LBK has taught people of all backgrounds how to maintain and repair their bikes and also fostered a diverse and welcoming community. They had to change their practices due to the pandemic but carried on teaching online. Gwiazdowski tells us about the challenges that this presented and how interactivity stayed integral to their work.  Championing inclusion in cycling and repair Gwiazdowski is also co-founder of Women of Colour Cycling Collective and LBK regularly hold online WAG (Women and Gender Variant) Nights. She works hard to encourage those who do not necessarily feel represented or welcome in traditional workshop spaces. We talk about how the repair community can make events more inclusive. She points out that it is integral that members of minority groups are already present – and often leading – these spaces. Old, new barriers and proprietary parts There are also changes happening in the production of bikes, with the rise of proprietary parts and designs that make repairing much more difficult, and often more expensive. This is a trend that Gwiazdowski – and us as a repair community – hope does not catch on. She tells us of a couple of instances that exemplify how these business practices create additional barriers to repair. “The current new bikes that are coming out with proprietary fittings and proprietary parts, that drives me crazy…I wish I could smack the industry and just be like, don’t do this. I know all you care about is money but think about something else for a second and think about the repairability of a bike.” Alongside the inaccessibility and cost of new parts, supply chains for bike parts in general have been disrupted by the pandemic. The inability to get common parts like cassettes without warning has inhibited their work and will probably continue.  The state of cycling today There are also changes happening in the culture of cycling. In terms of being on the road, Gwiazdowski says that there is still a long way to go. But conversation shifts in recent years mean that the safety of cyclists is starting to be considered, with more bike lanes being introduced across London. However, now the focus needs to be directed at making cycling safer for everyone – not just those that are able-bodied or riding road bikes. She quotes Wheels for Wellbeing Director, Isabelle Clement, saying “when you build for the most vulnerable, you create the most inclusive infrastructure.” Wider, more accessible bike lanes mean that those on unconventional bikes like cargo bikes, and families can ride more safely. This is the direction that she hopes cycling and road infrastructure goes. Links: London Bike Kitchen Wheel Suckers Podcast Women of Colour Cycling Collective How to Build a Bike: A Simple Guide to Making Your Own Ride by Jenni Gwiazdowski Wheels for Wellbeing Repair.eu: Disposable e-bikes? The problem with unrepairable batteries [Photo courtesy of Jenni Gwiazdowski] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 72: Maintaining your bike and your community, with Jenni Gwiazdowski appeared first on The Restart Project.

Having spent the year talking to many activists, authors and repairers in the UK and Europe, we thought we would hear from somewhere a bit further away from home. We spoke to Mathew Lubari, a repairer from the Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Lubari is the founder and a team leader at Community Creativity for Development (CC4D), an environmental initiative based at the settlement. What we learned is that the same barriers exist here in the UK and EU as they do elsewhere, but for many people these barriers are much more challenging.  How he began and how the repair cafes work Lubari first got interested in repair by watching his father and then while at university in Uganda, but when he had to flee his home of South Sudan, repair took on a whole new role in his life. Lubari tells us about the makeshift toolkit that he managed to take with him when he came to the camp. It included rudimentary tools including scissors, a boxcutter, a screwdriver and a toothbrush and he had to undertake repairs for a while before tools became accessible.  CC4D runs training courses, teaching essential repair skills to those at the camp. Through these courses, Lubari hopes to improve the conditions of those living at the camp by giving them more autonomy and a way to make a living. They also teach on the environmental benefits of repair, especially in relation to how e-waste impacts the health of their area.  How repair helps – and the barriers Lubari explains how repair allows those living at the camp to continue on with their lives with more independence. Whether it is being able to contact loved ones, view the news, or spot dangers at night, the ability to repair their devices is essential. He also points out the importance of a device and the internet to even be able to access repair information such as manuals. This is an issue that many of us don’t consider when there are plentiful internet-enabled devices in our house.  There are many aspects of living at the refugee camp that exacerbate the barriers to repair. Without repair cafes, people have to travel extreme distances and spend money that they simply do not have in order to even get the chance to repair their things. Sometimes, Lubari says, he will wait weeks for a spare part to arrive from another city and sometimes the spare part will not even exist.  How they would like to expand? Lubari would like to expand CC4D and their repair cafes across the entirety of the Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, serving a population of over 120,000 people. While this sounds like a massive feat, the enthusiasm and need is definitely there. He also tells about their plan to work together to collate a repair manual archive of their own, accessible by anyone in the community who needs it. You can get in touch directly with Lubari via Facebook and WhatsApp if you’d like to support his work. Links: CC4D Mathew Lubari shared his toolkit on Restarters [Photo courtesy of Mathew Lubari and CC4D] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 71: Fixing at Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement appeared first on The Restart Project.

As 2021 draws to a close, Janet and Ugo reflected on this precarious but successful year. Despite many setbacks, we have made great strides towards the Right to Repair in both the UK and the EU – even though there is still a long way to go. In London, Restarters have also done a fantastic job supporting each other and their communities in many new ways.  This year’s top stories The announcement of the French Repairability Index back in January set the year off on a promising trajectory for Right to Repair policy. While the Index is not perfect by any means, we discuss how it set a precedent for how other countries (and hopefully the EU) can and have been implementing repairability ratings on retail products. Countries that have followed suit include New Zealand and most recently, Spain.  A more worrying topic we reflected on was the increase in serialisation of parts. It’s an extremely technical matter but Ugo breaks down why this practice is such a concern. We’ve spoken to multiple repairers about this issue and while sometimes solvable, it is make or break for independent repair.  Here in the UK, the government did make moves towards Right to Repair. This summer, new regulations came into play that meant “manufacturers will have to make repair information and spare parts available for repairs for up to ten years for some new white goods and televisions.” While its a step in the right direction, we explain why it doesn’t go anywhere near far enough.  And our final story is a recent one. We discuss Apple’s announcement in November that they will give access to repair information and spare parts to US consumers. It was a shocking, and welcome, move but as we learned once again does not extend as far as is necessary.  What changed for community repair in 2021 We are really proud of the work that our community has done this year to help those in need have better digital access. We’ve been helping London-based organisations like Mer-IT and Catbytes with their laptop reuse projects – supporting them with repairing donated laptops and running a fundraising campaign to support laptop reuse work. The digital access movement gained steam with many outlets reporting on it, especially the BBC, and repairers were able to provide vital resources to many in need.  A lot of the laptop repair work was done by volunteers at home but as the year progressed we began to be able to repair together in person again. We talked about what that looked like and how some of the safety changes may actually be beneficial in other ways.  We discuss how repair events are also integral to our data work, collecting information about repairs and devices. This year, we sorted and analysed a lot of our data, producing solid insights to help affect policy decisions. Some of this information was also used to inform the Right to Repair campaign’s recent report on batteries.  What’s next Ugo and Janet are optimistic as they share their hopes for 2022. These include more policy changes and global collaboration from the repair community. Thanks for listening to Restart Radio this year and continuing to support our work, we hope to see some of these goals come to fruition with your help! Links: Sign our petition for a real Right to Repair The French repair index: challenges and opportunities Consumer NZ launches mobile phone repairability score Restart Radio: The dangers of serialisation in smartphones with Rico Cerva The UK’s new ‘right to repair’ is not a right to repair Too good to be true? Apple announces giving access to (some) spare parts and repair information to consumers You can still submit laptop donation projects to our directory Our Laptop Repair Team and the ongoing challenge of digital access Why our electronics break: what we can learn from nearly 10 years of repairs Non-replaceable batteries are bad news for the environment and consumers [Feature image by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.] The post Restart Radio: Reflecting on a challenging but successful 2021 appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month we talked to author and activist, Alice Bell about her recent book entitled, Our Biggest Experiment: An Epic History of the Climate Crisis. Bell’s extensive research into the topic along with her work as a director at Possible, made her the perfect person to join us in the month of COP26.  In November, we were thinking a lot about carbon emissions and who is most responsible for the state of our climate. Bell’s immense historical knowledge helps us understand the massive impact that the UK has had on the world trajectory towards huge consumption of fossil fuels and other damaging practices. So where did it all begin? We start our conversation by asking where did climate change begin – or at least where do our records start? Bell tells us about the ‘Little Ice Age’ and the factors that are thought to have caused it. Despite such early signs that human activity was causing changes to the climate, the idea that temperatures could rise was not the biggest worry back then. Unfortunately, this perception seems to have persevered in the minds of powerful figures for a long time. Even now, when the risk is much more widely recognised, severe enough action is still not being taken.  From Captain Planet to Klimastreik Bell tells us about a few figures who were vital to the progress of climate science but who were either largely ignored or forgotten. Eunice Foote and John Tyndall both made note of the link between CO2 levels in our atmosphere and changing temperatures in the 1800s which makes you wonder how we got this far without taking action earlier. We also consider the problematic way that the onus of fixing the climate is continuously pushed onto younger generations.  Climate activism has a complicated and difficult past. We discuss the racist overtones of the overpopulation discussion and the way that this has shifted blame onto different groups over the decades. Luckily, climate science has changed a lot over the years. However, this does not mean that those responsible are doing enough.  Recognising our historic debt Bell points out the hypocrisy of many richer nations, especially in the lead up to an event like COP26. There is evidence of fossil fuel use as far back as 4,000 years ago in Mongolia. However, industrialisation in the UK and other countries is really what set us on course for where we are today. It is essential that these countries take more responsibility for their impact.  “It’s really one of the many tragedies of the climate story – that many countries that have done very, very little to cause this problem are dealing with the biggest impacts. And also because of centuries of exploitation, they’re not in a financial position to be able to deal with this.” It is not just responsible for the emissions that we create in the UK, but also our consumer emissions overseas. Bell points out that many of the ‘successes’ the UK have had – for example phasing out the use of coal – are only possible because of outsourcing. And what about the future? Bell does not have high hopes for COP26 or major world governments. But conferences are not the only way to make a change. She believes that activists and organisations like Restart, play an essential role in educating people on how they can have an impact. Overall, it is a message of realism but also hope. Now that we have seen the outcome of COP26, there is likely a lot of disappointment or despair. However, Bell says it is not ‘game over’ just yet.  Links: Our Biggest Experiment: An Epic History of the Climate Crisis by Alice Bell Possible The Human Planet: How We Created the Anthropocene by Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin Restart Podcast Ep. 69: Exploring our consumption emissions with Professor John Barrett [Feature image courtesy of Alice Bell] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 70: An epic journey through climate history with Alice Bell appeared first on The Restart Project.

We hear a lot about carbon emissions in the news and they are a major culprit in the climate crisis. Sometimes, it can be difficult to track where these emissions are coming from. Manufacturers are rarely thorough or honest in accounting for their output. As individuals, it can be frustrating to not have control over this.  In celebration of Repair Day 2021, we held a webinar alongside the European Right to Repair campaign on consumption emissions. We explored what consumption emissions are, how to minimise them, and how repair helps. In this episode, you will hear a Q&A facilitated by Ugo Vallauri and Chloé Mikolajczak. We were lucky enough to be joined by Professor John Barrett from the University of Leeds to answer these questions and give a short presentation on the topic.  What are consumption emissions? Most simply, consumption emissions are emissions released during the production of the things that we buy. As opposed to our territorial emissions which are those produced in the UK. Barrett explains to us exactly why accounting for them is so essential in reducing the harm that we are doing to our planet. According to him, consumption emissions are “widely neglected” when considering solutions to reducing our environmental impact. Part of the reason is that they are not as visible as territorial emissions. It is more difficult for the government to claim victory in reducing them and therefore less appealing. In reality, once we do account for our consumption emissions, our national impact is almost doubled.  We also ask specifically about “Scope 3” emissions in reporting by big companies, a category that is often the most forgotten. Scope 3 emissions encompass many things but mainly the “downstream” impacts of a company’s activities, like a product being manufactured. Barrett says that it is crucial that companies become better acquainted with these impacts and account for them. He also stresses that the best way to minimise these emissions is to lower production rates in the first place.  Taking actual accountability When we talk about minimising our carbon emissions, a common rebuttal is that our efforts as the UK are pointless unless countries like China lower their emissions too. However, Barrett helps us refute that claim by explaining the various falsehoods and the part that we have to play in these very figures. A significant part of industry in China is down to demand from consumers in places like the UK – making us accountable.  “If we don’t take responsibility for all our consumer products, we are saying that we deserve a greater percentage of the global remaining carbon pie. That to me is clearly linked to the discussion on justice and the right to develop. And the right for countries to access carbon where it is needed to enable that development.” Barrett also pushes for accountability in managing our carbon output in consideration of the rest of the globe. The UK has the funds and resources to do better. Therefore, we must take this action on behalf of those who cannot.  How repair can help We briefly discuss solutions for emissions reduction like carbon offsetting. However, Barrett believes that efforts like this are nowhere near enough to what is needed.  “Clearly the best way to reduce the impact of the product from the consumer element is actually not to buy it because then we know that there’s zero impact associated with it” He points out that one of the very best ways to minimise consumption emissions is to not buy products in the first place. This does not mean that we should stop buying smartphones altogether. Rather, that if we repair instead of buying new ones so often we can minimise our individual impact. In order to make this an option for everyone, we need policy measures that make repair as accessible and simple as possible.  Links: Professor John Barrett Positive low energy futures study John Barrett speaking at Climate Assembly UK Watch the full webinar here Sign our petition to give everyone a real right to repair [Photo courtesy of Ted McGrath, is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 69: Exploring our consumption emissions with Professor John Barrett appeared first on The Restart Project.

We revisit an episode from 2018 with photographer and friend of Restart, Mark Phillips. Phillips has an exciting exhibition, &#8216;Repair is Essential&#8217;, co-produced with Alex Horn of West Central London Fixers, currently showing at The Tabernacle in London. You can check it out through Sunday 17th October! Phillips&#8217; portfolio is expansive and immersive. In this interview, he tells us about his work photographing repair culture &#8211; from Cuba to our very own Restart Parties. In the last few years, his work has only developed more as he has spent time travelling around Europe photographing repair in Scandinavia, Germany, and professional repairers in the UK.  We have a solution to new unrepairable phones Before we get into the interview though, we have an important announcement about Repair Day. On 16th October it is he fifth annual International Repair Day. This year the theme is “Repair lowers carbon emissions,’ in response to this year’s IPCC report and the upcoming COP26 summit. ​​There is no better time for us to concentrate on how our work as a repair community is vital in the ongoing fight against climate change. And it is also a time to celebrate repair! Whether online or in-person we hope you get to repair together this year. We also have a big announcement from Right to Repair EU with the launch of the 10-year smartphone campaign. We explain what the 10-year smartphone is, why it needs to be the new standard, and why you might not be able to buy one just this second. These reasons are further supported by some recent news about the new iPhone 13 and Apple’s increasingly frustrating crusade against third party repair.  Photographing &#8216;essential&#8217; repair Phillips explains to us the origins of his interest in photographing repair culture. On a trip to Cuba for an academic conference, he could not help but note the way that the people there put painstaking effort into repairing the smallest things. Phillips decided to capture this unique culture of repair and took photos of lighter refurbishers on the street and a wrench held in the door of a car &#8211; you never know when a repair will be needed. This is when he began documenting ‘the never-ending life of Cuban things’. Since then, Phillips has embarked across the globe to photograph repairers of all kinds &#8211; including much of our local repair community here in London. The drive to repair exists for many different reasons. In Cuba and Ghana, for example, this drive is often born out of necessity. While recognising the unfortunate circumstances, we can learn from those who are constantly being forced to innovate and reuse what they already have. By documenting this repair culture, Phillips encourages us to think of the opportunities that we have and expand our understanding of why repairing is so essential &#8211; as is the focus of Phillips&#8217; exhibition.  Documenting repair at home While Phillips has spent a lot of time photographing repair culture abroad, he also is very involved in photographing our London community. From repair businesses to Restart Parties, if you love an image we have shared it was likely taken by him. We know that photographing in these spaces can be challenging and Phillips tells us more about why. This is only part of the reason that we are so thankful for his work with us over the years.  Finally, we share our views on the future of repair culture. Mark tells us about some sustainable design projects that have inspired him and given him hope. However, we also note the lack of these projects. Since this discussion, we have fortunately seen more of these examples pop up. Nonetheless, there is always room for innovation and this work becomes more urgent and essential every day.  Links: Repair is essential: an exploration of repair culture in Cuba Get involved in Repair Day 2021 Find out more about the 10 year smartphone Euronews: iPhone 13 screen cracked? Here&#8217;s how Apple stops Face ID working if you try to fix it yourself Mark A Phillips Photography <!-- Mark A Phillips: Reparacion – the never-ending life of Cuban things --> Restart Radio: Photographing repair culture [Images by Mark A Phillips, licensed under CC BY 4.0.] The post Restart Radio Republished: Mark Phillips photographs &#8216;essential&#8217; repair appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month we spoke to Dr Karen Patel from Birmingham City University about her work on Craft Expertise, a project researching inequalities in the craft sector and documenting experiences of makers from marginalised backgrounds. Dr Patel interviewed over 20 women on their experiences in craft. Her research pertains specifically to the craft sector but we found that there are many similarities to the repair community &#8211; both positive and negative. Dr Patel shared insights with us from her research and we considered how we can support minority groups in our own repair community.  Barriers in craft There are multiple barriers to success &#8211; and simply to entry &#8211; into the craft world, mirroring those we see in repair. Dr Patel discussed how these are often related to people’s identities and pointed at minority groups.  For example, those who come from a working-class background may find it harder to build a career in craft. Craft is viewed by many as precarious work and even by some parents of craftspeople, is treated as a hobby rather than a job. Along with its lack of inclusion in school curriculums and higher education, this view only becomes reinforced further.  For female makers and makers of colour, Dr Patel tells us about the lack of safe spaces in the craft sector. Studios, fairs, classrooms and more are all spaces that are often white and disproportionately male-dominated. This means that other makers can feel unwelcome, unsupported and unsafe in these environments.  The report found that microaggressions were an all too common occurrence in the craft sector. Almost all of the women interviewed reported these or worse. We discuss how microaggressions can be extremely difficult to report and act on as they are often behaviours that are difficult to identify and therefore report. Another form of discrimination is the exotification, and resulting devaluing of expertise and experience, when it comes to makers of colour creating cultural objects.  How to tackle these inequalities? Like craft, the repair sector can feel like a very male-dominated space. While our community is explicitly a radically open and supportive space, we have received comments in the past from women who have not felt respected or listened to by male peers. We ask Dr Patel if our Rosie the Restarter skillshares are a good tactic for supporting female-identifying and non-binary repairers in the repair community.  We also have an essential discussion about how we could better tackle incidents of discrimination at Restart Parties or in the extended online space. This includes making the process safer and easier to report these occurrences if they do happen.  Finally, we talked about the dynamics around gendered activities. Binaries around who craft and repair are traditionally for are limiting for everyone. We commit to working to make our community more inclusive and equal for all.  Links: Craft Expertise Dr Karen Patel &#8211; Birmingham City University The Politics of Expertise in Cultural Labour: Arts, Work and Inequalities by Karen Patel Cyberfeminism, technology, and international ‘development’ by Radhika Gajjala and Annapurna Mamidipudi The Maker Stories podcast Rosie the Restarter [Feature image courtesy of Dr Karen Patel] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 68: Inequalities in UK craft and making, with Dr Karen Patel appeared first on The Restart Project.

Our summer podcast season has come to a close and what a time it&#8217;s been! We revisited our archive and picked some of the episodes where our discussion touched on the pandemic and the events of the last eighteen months.  Throughout the episode, we hear select clips from nine recent guests and situate these discussions. We cover healthcare,  from patents and barriers to medical device repair. We reflect on how workers in the electronics industry have been negatively affected including those working in factories in Asia, to professional repairers on the high streets of London.  False and real silver linings during the pandemic There were a lot of expectations at the beginning of the pandemic about how measures like lockdown might have a silver lining in terms of lowering carbon emissions. We hear how this was not necessarily the case and instead learn what active changes we can campaign for to make a real difference. Luckily, we also had some big glimmers of hope and optimism in our community over the last year. We spoke to repairers who were fixing donated laptops to give to those in need and an artist who managed to create a stunning piece of interactive art to bring joy to the community despite the circumstances. Links: Restart Podcast Ep. 51: Copyright law, ownership and crisis with Aaron Perzanowski U.S. PIRG: 43,000 call on ventilator manufacturers to release repair information U.S. PIRG: Hospital technicians renew urgent call for Right to Repair medical equipment Restart Radio: Reuse and repair with two frontline medical professionals Restart Podcast Ep. 60: Helping electronics workers improve conditions Restart Radio: Reusing laptops for digital inclusion with Mer-IT and Hackney Fixers Restart Podcast Ep. 54: Shoes and urgent system change with Tansy Hoskins Restart Podcast Ep. 52: Combining nostalgia with the new at Armstrong Audio Restart Podcast Ep. 59: Lasers lighting up the sky, with Seb Lee-Delisle The post Restart Podcast Ep. 67: Reflecting on repair during the pandemic appeared first on The Restart Project.

Happy August, listeners! We&#8217;re on our summer break but there will be a special podcast episode in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, we have a simple ask for your help. Please take a couple of minutes to complete the Restart Radio listeners survey. The last time we conducted a survey of listeners was in 2019 and we found it incredibly helpful and took action based on many of your suggestions &#8211; this included the type of guests that we brought on, building the archive page for easier navigation of content, and transcripts which we are working on creating for each episode.  We really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to respond so far. We heard from a listener in Canada who commented that our “variety of subject on sustainability and repair is years beyond other outlets” which is part of the reason why we see value in producing the shows.  We’re also interested to hear that multiple listeners would like us to get more into the ‘nitty gritty’ about repair, pointing to our serialisation episode as a stand out in this area &#8211; which we are proud of! We’d love to hear what you think of the content that we have been creating &#8211; what have you liked and what we could improve. We haven’t had quite as much of a response as we did last time we conducted one of these surveys so please if you haven’t done it yet go fill it in. We look forward to hearing from you! Fill in the survey here! The post Restart Radio: A small ask appeared first on The Restart Project.

In our final episode of the summer season, we talk to Kate Edwards about building with cob and why it is a really sustainable way forward. Please fill in our 2021 listener survey at https://therestartproject.org/radiosurvey. Whether you are a long-term or new listener of the podcast we would love to hear your thoughts on what you like and what we could improve. ⁠

Before we get into the news and our Summer Reading List, here’s a plea to respond to our listener survey. We last did one of these in 2019 and found it really helpful in improving our work and making sure that our listeners enjoy the content that we produce. Fill it in here! Right to Repair  &#8211; in the UK and abroad Has the news in the UK surrounding Right to Repair been giving you deja vu? For us, it feels like forever since the UK government first announced these changes and since they were adopted in Europe back in March. The rules that came into effect last week mean that repairing all new white goods, including dishwashers, washing machines, fridges, and TVs, must be better supported by the long-term availability of spare parts. Overall, it is a move forward but some of the media reporting surrounding the regulations was misleading. In the US, there was also positive news for Right to Repair. President Biden issues an executive order that gives the Federal Trade Commission increased powers to enforce rules helping independent repair compete. We also hear Steve Wozniak &#8211; co-founder of Apple &#8211; talking about his support for the right to repair and how he would not have gotten to where he is without it. A selection of our summer reading list Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future by Elizabeth Kolbert &#8211; reviewed by James This is a book about humans trying to fix problems in the environment, and then making them worse, and then trying to fix them again. It’s about how we’re past conversation and preservation and now onto a stage of intervening to try and avert irreversible disasters. And how hard that is. Undoing Optimization: Civic Action in Smart Cities by Alison Powell &#8211; reviewed by Neil What are smart cities? Who creates them and who are they for? Powell explores these questions and more in Undoing Optimization. Her book delivers a thoughtful and comprehensive critique of the concept of smart cities, while also providing a broader look at the tension between corporate power, state power and citizen power.  We Are Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People by Eliot Higgins &#8211; reviewed by Janet We’re here for any book that tells the story of a community of collaborative geeks, who look to solve problems and mysteries together. Bellingcat starts with Higgins at his laptop in Leicester, and tells the story about how he honed his skills together with others around the world, forming teams of “amateur” sleuths who solved the mystery behind the downing of Malaysia Flight 17 in the Ukraine and exposed various war crimes in Syria. Check out our full reading list for blurbs on the other books on our list: Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds &amp; Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake Flash Forward: An Illustrated Guide to Possible (And Not So Possible) Tomorrows by Rose Eveleth Free, Fair, and Alive: The Insurgent Power of the Commons by David Bollier and Silke Helfrich Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World by Jason Hickel Our Biggest Experiment: A History of the Climate Crisis by Alice Bell The Art of Disruption: A Manifesto For Real Change by Magid Magid Links: Fill in the 2021 listener survey Our full post on the UK&#8217;s new Right to Repair rules Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy Steve Wozniak speaks on Right to Repair [links to purchase books are affiliate links so that you can support both us and independent bookshops via bookshop.org] The post Restart Radio: Our 2021 Summer Reading List appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we had the pleasure of talking to repairer and activist, Jessa Jones. Jones is the founder of iPad Rehab and has carved out her own space in the repair world as a self-taught microsolderer and logic board repair teacher. We found out what makes her approach to repair and teaching unique, why she is so impassioned in her work, and what tools repairers in the US have to advocate for themselves.  From the toilet phone to teaching repair It is clear that Jones has the drive to repair, as she recounts how a two-year-long effort to fix her waterlogged phone catapulted her into becoming the technician that she is today. Part of what makes Jones so strong is the combination of her experience in molecular biology and as a stay-at-home mum. She describes her approach to repair as from a physician’s perspective. As such, she uses her problem-solving skills to diagnose a device, almost as you would a human body.  The team at iPad Rehab is also predominantly made up of former stay-at-home parents, and mostly women too. They also recruit students from the local high school robotics team. Jones points out that Anna and Ryan — both teenagers — routinely perform repairs that Apple themselves will not do, such as replacing charging chips. Companies like Apple&#8217;s refusal to repair is part of what motivates Jones in her work. A major factor though is the emotional element of succeeding in rescuing people&#8217;s memories that would otherwise be lost.  Repair barriers and the &#8220;branded repair&#8221; lie With a fascinating analogy between logic boards and cities and the human body, Jones explains the importance of schematics. While repair is not impossible without them, schematics make the job much easier and quicker. As time goes on, schematics become even more necessary as manufacturers build barriers to repair into device designs.  Jones runs us through just some of the numerous barriers to repair in iPhone models over the years. These affect parts from home buttons to batteries to screens. She emphasises the urgent worry that serialisation and pairing of parts — one of the biggest barriers to independent repair — is becoming more commonplace.  Perhaps the most galvanising point that Jones makes about &#8220;branded repair&#8221;, is how manufacturers mislead consumers relating to their own &#8220;repair&#8221; process. She explains how Apple has managed to market its sales of refurbished devices as repair. As a result, customers often lose their data and memories. And additionally, have to pay extortionate prices for something as small as fixing the charging port. Jones uses her voice and platform to inform consumers that this is not — and should not be — the only way.   Right to Repair in the US On June 11th, the day before our interview, the New York State Senate passed their first Right to Repair bill. While this is a landmark move for the state legislature, it is not law yet. It must also be passed by the New York State assembly &#8211; something that Jones says is unlikely to happen. She is not pessimistic though. While recognising the legislation is difficult to pass, she says it likely hinges on our ability to be vocal enough to gain the spotlight.  “These manufacturers are highly motivated to maintain their pyramid scheme and that means a constant barrage of messaging. There&#8217;s a lot of folks that haven&#8217;t really thought about Right to Repair and if what they&#8217;re hearing is a constant stream of this isn’t safe &#8230; then that could be really dangerous.” There are many wealthier parties interested in keeping Right to Repair quiet, spreading damaging and false messaging to the public. Activists and groups like Louis Rossmann&#8217;s Repair Preservation Group — of which Jones is on the board — are working tirelessly to get the real repair message heard.  Links: iPad Rehab iPad Rehab/Jessa Jones&#8217;s YouTube Channel Vice: He Was Murdered in a Hate Crime. She Brought His Blood-Soaked Phone Back to Life The Guardian: Sidestepping Apple: the third-party tinkerers fighting for your right to repair iFixit: Victory! New York Senate Passes Landmark Right to Repair Bill Restart Radio: The dangers of serialisation in smartphones [Photo courtesy of iPad Rehab &#8211; Jessa Jones (pictured far right) and the iPad Rehab team] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 65: Saving memories and exposing &#8216;branded&#8217; repair with Jessa Jones appeared first on The Restart Project.

As businesses and community spaces are able to pick up operations again, we talk to Alys Penfold about her work with Library of Things. Penfold is currently the Borrower Support Lead at Library of Things and tells us about their mission, their impact, and exciting new locations that are opening soon.  While we were regularly going into the office, Restart shared an office with Library of Things. It&#8217;s lovely to catch up and talk about how borrowing and repair intersect.  First, we discuss the news and start with a cautionary tale. Promises from manufacturers need to be watched closely at risk of them falling apart. The complete overhaul and watering down of Samsung’s Galaxy ‘upcycling’ scheme is evidence of this. Next, we move onto the potential &#8211; perhaps hopeful &#8211; fall of Bitcoin and why this would be beneficial for the planet. And finally, some good news as Consumer NZ recycles the French repairability index for mobile phones. This move makes us optimistic that similar indices could spread further than France and New Zealand.  Library of Things is on a mission The bold aim of Library of Things is to make “borrowing better than buying”. Penfold tells us how they do this, including reducing costs for consumers, reducing waste, and building a local community. Since starting their pilot location in West Norwood they have expanded across London to make borrowing more accessible to local communities. Library of Things is a look into what our buying habits could be like once we realise that consumerism is not sustainable in many areas.  Their catalogue hosts a variety of items to be borrowed, some that surprised us. The things range from DIY to hobbying to adventuring and more. They cater to everyone&#8217;s needs whether you need to borrow a waffle maker, a tent, or a circular saw. And the range of things that can be borrowed is regularly expanding.  Penfold shares some stories about how she has witnessed the impact of their work. There are many reasons why people borrow &#8211; it could be more practical, cheaper, or more ecologically conscious.  Environmental impact and repair Library of Things’ work does not only benefit the borrowers but also the environment. By preventing people from buying an item that they will likely only use a few times, they are helping tackle the mounting pile of e-waste that the UK produces. So far, through their Crystal Palace site alone they have prevented 15,900 kg more of this waste.  Penfold tells us how they partner with manufacturers to create a symbiotic relationship of sorts. Major companies donate products to Library of Things and in turn, they are able to provide information on how long the products last and what needs to be fixed. Many of the things that Library of Things have in their catalogue would rarely be used by the average consumer. What they have found is that with regular use by their borrowers, the products are not necessarily designed with long lifespans that support frequent use.  Collaboration and growth Library of Things are planning to open many new locations in the coming months and are opening a new Hackney Wick site on June 15th. Around the country, there are also independent borrowing services popping up all over. Many of them have links to repair cafes and transition groups. We&#8217;re excited to see where Library of Things goes next! If you would like a Library of Things near you then head to their website for more information.  Links: Library of Things Sign our petition for a real Right to Repair iFixit: Galaxy upcycling: How Samsung ruined their best idea in years Vice: Elon Musk Says Bitcoin Has ‘Great Cost’ to Environment and Tesla Will No Longer Accept It Reseller: Consumer NZ launches mobile phone repairability score [Photo courtesy of Library of Things] The post Restart Radio: Borrowing boom at Library of Things appeared first on The Restart Project.

This month, we talk to fellow podcasters Abby Rose and Jo Barratt from Farmerama. Farmerama is a monthly magazine show that aims to share the voices and experiences of regenerative farming. By combining their experience in farming, tech, and podcasting, they have managed to create an award-winning podcast that brings the farming community closer to each other and the listener. Last year, our podcaster Dave Pickering worked with the Farmerama team to produce one of the episodes in their series, Who Feeds Us? The series captures a moment of collective resilience and adaptation seen by food producers across the UK. This story of pooling resources to help those in need resonated with us as it also reflected the work done by our community during the last year. As lockdown highlighted the massive issue of digital inclusion, repairers spent their time fixing devices to donate them to those in need. This collective spirit really comes through when listening to Farmerama. The importance of soil As well as working on the podcast, Rose’s connection to farming comes from her work on her family farm. She explains to us what it means to practice regenerative farming and why it is so important to solving climate and biodiversity crises. Regenerative farming is about working mindfully and in collaboration with the natural environment.  “Healthy soil is this miracle substance&#8230;Five years ago, I thought soil was dirt and I couldn&#8217;t have cared less about it. And now I think it&#8217;s the most important thing in my life and in all of our lives.” From the roots of a plant, to the microbes in the soil, to the fungal networks underneath our feet. We can learn so much from this “communication mesh” that exists right under our feet.  Dignity and responsibility This idea of networks and collaboration extends across our whole food production chain. By sharing the voices of farmers, growers, food producers, Farmerama helps us to situate ourselves within this chain of food production. We draw a comparison between food and electronics in the way that consumers are not always encouraged to recognise their place in the system of production. Without this, it is difficult to properly internalise what our responsibilities and impact are. We are starting to see this change though.  Hacking and repair vs corporate control Rose says that “many farmers are repairers in heart and soul” as tools and the ability to adapt your processes are integral to farming life. We also hear clips from Farmerama that talk about Farm Hack which is a self-described “worldwide community of farmers that build and modify our own tools”. Especially for younger farmers with less equipment and money, this is an essential community for learning from more seasoned farmers.  We couldn’t do an episode on farming without talking about John Deere and the Right to Repair. Rose and Barratt say that farmers not being able to repair their machinery is at its heart a question of agency. Furthermore, this issue is plaguing the agricultural sector as a whole. While data can help farmers &#8211; as seen by Rose’s work making apps like Soilmentor &#8211; the data that is being collected on a mass scale does not. Rather, it just serves to help big corporations profit.  Autonomy is at the root of seed saving These topics of agency and ownership will also resonate with repairers. They are also present in the conversation around seed sovereignty. We hear from a few different voices about what seed sovereignty is, why it is important, and how it supports reconnecting with our cultures, heritage, and environment.  Seed saving is a practice that is encouraged partly to empower growers to have more autonomy over the food they are producing. Farmerama too, want to share “old knowledge” that Barratt says is being wiped away by big business. Much like in our repair community, it is important that we share our knowledge and share our skills so that we can all have more ownership over our electronics.  Links:  Listen to Farmerama Vidacycle Farm Farm Hack <!-- Tech for Good --> Vice: John Deere Promised Farmers It would Make Tractors Easy to repair. It Lied Soilmentor app [Art courtesy of Farmerama and Hannah Grace] The post Restart Podcast Ep. 64: Regenerative farming and rural tinkering with Farmerama appeared first on The Restart Project.