There is this new thing that has been slowly gaining popularity around the world. It started in Amsterdam in the early 2000`s and has become very popular in Europe. Now it`s starting to spread to North America. It`s called a Repair Cafe.
Some people may need to sit down for this news, but the whole concept is when something breaks, you don`t just throw it away and get a new one. You fix it. And the really cool thing about the Repair Cafe idea, not only do they fix your stuff, they teach you how to do it.
That`s the part I like. The teaching part. I am not unfamiliar with the concept of doing repairs n household items. At times I have even been successful. But I will admit the part I am best at is taking things apart. The reassembly… not so much.
I have also discovered that the people who build a lot of things tend to use a lot of parts. Most times, I find they use too many parts. I don`t truly believe they needed all of them. Which could be the reason I end up with leftover parts after many repair attempts.
Truthfully, I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous when it comes to repairs around the house. I know those who have come before me were likely not that way. I have some of their tools and marvel at what they were able to accomplish. I have no idea how to use many of these things, but they look pretty cool.
But the concept of the Repair Cafe is something I like. Yes, it reduces waste, but it is also a bit like time travel, taking us back to when things were not always disposable.
The only problem is deciding what to build with the leftover parts.
