A self-declared "repair geek," Gay Gordon-Byrne is a driving force behind the right-to-repair movement, which aims to empower people to fix their stuff. She describes how the movement is gaining legislative momentum and breaks down how the global shift away from "throwaway society" can literally turn trash into treasure in a circular economy -- so we can all experience that "Yes! I fixed it!" feeling.

You deserve the right to repair your stuff

Repairing everyday items is not just about saving money, but about reducing waste, building community resilience, and cutting environmental harm. With over three and a half billion gadgets in US households alone, the environmental cost of constant replacement is staggering. Revival of repair skills, local repair shops, and legislative efforts are helping shift society away from disposable habits. Repair empowers people, creates jobs, and bridges divides, transforming broken objects into new opportunities.

Repair Culture Beats Throwaway Society And Powers Lasting Change

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social change

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TED Stage Talk

Gay Gordon-Byrne: You deserve the right to repair your stuff