Clothes, electronics and toys are so cheap these days that that it can be easy to throw them out when they break, and buy a replacement.
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Nearly eighteen months ago a group of people in Bendigo decided to take action against this waste.
They began a Repair Cafe where people could bring their broken items and learn to fix them.
Read more: Hands-on fix for broken bits at Repair Cafe
Coordinator Elise L’Huillier uses scissors to explain how waste has changed over the years.
Scissors were once quite a valuable item in the home. A family had one or two pairs, and you had to ask your mother to use them.
Now people pay less for a pair of scissors, so they assign to them the value of what they paid, rather than the use of the item.
The Repair Cafe aims to save items from landfill, helping the environment, encourage re-use, helping people’s back pockets and teach people how to fix things, connecting them with neighbours.
“It’s not a good feeling for people that they’re constantly using cheap things and throwing them away, as opposed to using good well made things that they can keep forever,” Ms L’Huillier said.
A team of fixers are on hand at ever event to help attendees with their broken items, which often include clothing and electronics.
To celebrate International Repair Week cafe will hold a special session at Peppergreen Farm on Saturday October 20 from 10am to 2pm.
More information at bendigorepaircafe.com.
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