Do-it-yourself and save: Cheap Trick Thursday
The last time an electronic gadget died on you, did you debate whether to repair it or to replace it?
CBS News pointed out in an 2007 article about fixing or nixing dead cell phones or other items that repair prices have often remained the same over the last five years although the prices of new electronics have dropped significantly, sometimes by hundreds of dollars.
But in the consumption and disposal chapters of the Internet documentary The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard explains that 99 percent of the things we produce are trashed within six months. The items we're tossing aren't just coffee cups and plastic bag but also computers and televisions (perhaps slightly less frequently).
While the initial cost of replacing an item may be less than repairing it, Leonard also points out that we end up paying for this throw-it-away mindset later, through chemicals released into our water and atmosphere.
The worst offender (in my opinion) are iPods. Don't get me wrong -- I love my podcasts, but these popular MP3 players are designed with rechargeable batteries that can't be replaced, so many people just chuck them and get a new one when their current model's screen gets cracked or the battery dies.
But what if there was a different option, such as ...
... ifixit, a site where Mac owners can order parts and find step-by-step instructions to repair iBooks, MacBooks and iPods themselves?
This weekend I'm checking out an iPhone repair workshop led by the ifixit folks at Maker Faire, a celebration of do-it-yourself creation, invention, technology and sustainable living.
It's more than just saving money, of course -- some of the handmade items over at etsy.com are pricier than you would find in big-box retailer. But, there's also something valuable about knowing how to *do* stuff --- not just how to buy things in a store, but how to meet your own basic needs such as baking your own bagels, fixing holes in your clothes and launching rockets (or otherwise entertaining and engaging young people).
You might worry about experiencing comically disastrous results like those featured in this New York Times story about DIY mishaps and home repair disasters. But taking risks helps us push the boundaries to find creative solutions for our problems. If your iPod is already dead, how much damage can you cause by taking a soldering iron to it?
Here are some ideas based on the festival's theme, Remaking America:
-- BE RESOURCEFUL: Necessity is the mother of all invention and now, more than ever, is the time to make or fix things instead of buying them.
-- CONSERVE ENERGY: Action starts at home by unplugging idle electronics, replacing products with energy efficient ones and subsidizing with natural resources.
-- ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION: From electric vehicles to innovative bicycles, there are many methods that don't involve gas-powered vehicles.
-- REVIVE OUR AGRICULTURAL ROOTS: From urban farming to bee keeping, find more ways to live sustainably through agriculture.
-- PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY: Cultivate trades and crafts by engaging with others and sharing knowledge.
-- ENCOURAGE LEARNING: Passing knowledge to future generations ensures that innovation will thrive -- engage students by providing hands-on learning experiences.
-- MONITOR USAGE: Be aware of how much energy and natural resources you use on a daily basis to help promote conservation efforts.
-- LEND A HAND: Volunteer your time to promote DIY projects in schools and after-school programs.
-- TAKE RISKS: The entrepreneurial spirit of America is based on the premise of nothing ventured, nothing gained.
-- CELEBRATE FAILURES: Failure is an essential key to learning, by sharing mistakes you can help prevent others from making their own -- thus promoting efficient production.
(photo: Contrapositively via Flickr)
Comments
Liz, I'd really like to hear how the iPhone repair workshop went for you.
Were the techniques they taught practical and can they be accomplished
without specialized (expensive) equipment? Thanks for this post.
Stay tuned for more details, Bob! The workshop was great. I'll have some more info early this week. -- lfk.
Posted by: bob | May 31, 2009 11:01 AM