It’s easier to throw things out than to fix them, but for Repair Cafe The Gap, things should be used longer and don’t have to be simply thrown away.
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Repair Cafe The Gap (RCTG) is a not-for-profit community group run by volunteers, whose mission is to kindle people’s enthusiasm for a sustainable society by fixing their broken household items rather than tossing them out.
Every month, they accept broken household items such as lamps, toasters, and CD players, and have them repaired for free. If there’s any costs involved, it will only be for components that need to be replaced and if there’s no spare parts in stock at the cafe.
As the name suggests, the cafe is all about repairing things together. But if you have nothing to repair, you can drop by to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea or lend a hand with someone’s repair job. Visitors can also leaf through books on repairs and DIY.
Aside from electrical appliances, volunteer repairers can also help fix clocks, bicycles, electronics, and small furniture items. You can even bring clothes and toys that need repair.
Ever since launching this initiative in March 2022, the group has received around 150 items, and most of these items, which mostly consist of electrical appliances, have been successfully repaired.
How It Started
Whilst Repair Cafe The Gap has only started this year, Repair Cafe has been around since 2009. In fact, there are 2,200 Repair Cafes all over the world. In Australia, there are around 70, including eight in Southeast Queensland alone.
This worldwide movement was initiated by Dutch environmentalist and former journalist Martine Postma.
Postma opened the first Repair Cafe in Amsterdam, after feeling a frustration with the world’s throwaway culture.
Repairing things not only reduce the volume of raw materials and energy needed to make new products, but also cut CO2 emissions, for example, because manufacturing new products and recycling old ones causes CO2 to be released.
“The Repair Cafe teaches people to see their possessions in a new light. And, once again, to appreciate their value,” the cafe stated in their website.
If you love repairing things or love organising, you can lend a hand in an up-and-running Repair Cafe. You can get in touch directly with a cafe close to where you live.
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To learn more about Repair Cafe and their initiative, visit www.repaircafe.org. The website also provides tips and tricks in repairing common household items and furniture.