On Thursday, October 18 it was exactly nine years since Martine Postma organized the very first Repair Café in Amsterdam. Today there are over 1,600 Repair Cafés in 33 countries on six continents. Here in our own backyard, The Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Project organized the first local event five years ago at Pakit Liquidators, which has since transformed into the shared maker space, DIY Cave.
Repair Cafés are events that connect people with broken stuff, with people who like to fix stuff. Over the past five years, over 400 items have been repaired through 15 local events with different host partners including The Gear Fix, DIY Cave, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, Deschutes Public Library, Central Oregon Community College, and more.
“For us, Repair Cafés fit into the mission of the Rethink Waste Project by preventing tangible waste through repair instead of replacement,” said Denise Rowcroft, Rethink Waste Program Manager with The Environmental Center. “But the really cool side effect of having repair events is less tangible – it’s about connecting people to their stuff in a way that gets them thinking about how they consume and the purchases they make, which is ultimately where we have more impact.”
Repair Cafés are free and staffed by volunteer fixers. Volunteers bring their own tools and variety of expertise, and will often troubleshoot difficult-to-repair items together or share tools. They have expertise in small appliances and electronics, clothing, outdoor gear, jewelry, and small furniture. Rowcroft added that volunteers receive a lot of satisfaction in keeping things out of the landfill, and attendees often really enjoy their interactions with volunteers and learning more about repair.
“It’s exciting to be a part of a global network of people, helping each other out by fixing stuff. It’s building community and resilience, and it’s just really fun.”
The next local Repair Café will be on October 30 at the Redmond Public Library from 5:30-7:30pm. People can bring in multiple items for repair, but are asked to sign up for one at a time so as not to dominate one volunteer for the whole evening.
“Repair café events are a perfect fit for Library programming,” said Liz Goodrich of the Deschutes Public Library. “These fun, community-based events provide opportunities for the volunteers to share their skills with participants.”
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Redmond Repair Cafe
WHEN: Tuesday October 30, 5:30–7:30pm
WHERE: Redmond Public Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave., Redmond, OR 97756
The Rethink Waste Project is an initiative to raise awareness about the impact of waste in our community and to engage individuals, families, and businesses in reducing, reusing and recycling waste. Our educational-based programs provide the tools and resources you need to reduce waste – and rethink the way you think about waste. Rethink Waste is a program of The Environmental Center in partnership with Deschutes County Department of Solid Waste, Bend Garbage & Recycling, Deschutes Recycling, High County Disposal and Cascade Disposal. To learn more visit www.RethinkWasteProject.org
The Environmental Center’s mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. We translate sustainability into practical, local action in order to create a healthy future for people and the planet. Our programs incorporate education and advocacy to advance our vision of a sustainable community. We are focused on building community, educating kids, revolutionizing energy, rethinking waste, and advocating for change. Learn more at envirocenter.org or by visiting us at 16 NW Kansas Ave. in Downtown Bend, Oregon.
