Tell Your State Reps to Support Right to Repair
Have you ever wondered why electronics are expensive and a hassle to repair? Because they're designed to be.
Today’s gadgets are easy to break, impractical to repair, and quick to be obsolete. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
We're advocating for "Right to Repair" policy that makes repairing our Stuff easier and reduces e-waste. Are you in?
Imagine this: Your phone screen is cracked, but it’s a quick, easy and affordable fix. A small piece breaks on your toaster, but you simply get a replacement part instead of a whole new appliance. A repair law makes scenarios like these a reality.
Right to Repair laws require manufacturers to make repair manuals and spare parts available to individuals and independent repair businesses. That means more affordable and accessible repair options for our Stuff, as well as less waste.
Let's get this legislation passed in states across the country! Will you contact your state reps in support?
Your state reps' districts are determined by address. We won't use your address for anything else.
Our Stuff, Our Right to Repair
Stuff breaks. Wear and tear is normal, but throwing away otherwise functional devices shouldn’t be. Rather than sending broken items to the landfill or paying companies an arm and a leg to fix them, we should have the right to repair our own devices.
And yet, product manufacturers intentionally make repair difficult. Think appliances, cell phones, laptops, and more. Electronics companies monopolize access to their service know-how, tools, and parts so that consumers are reliant on them for fixes. They churn out software updates that slow older devices. Companies have perfected planned obsolescence. Have you ever tried to repair an item only to find out that an upgrade is cheaper or a better deal? All this so that we cycle through and buy more of their Stuff.
Along with accelerated consumption comes more waste. In the United States alone, an estimated 416,000 cell phones are disposed of every day. Toxic e-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. When these electronics start to break down, the toxic metals and chemicals inside them, including lead and mercury, can leach into nearby groundwater and contaminate our environment.
We can stop this cycle by fixing things instead of throwing them away, thereby reducing landfill and electronic waste. It’s common sense legislation that’s good for people and good for the planet. Now that’s a fix we can get behind.
Watch "The Story of Electronics"
