Fixing Our Throwaway Economy

06/08/22 • 29 min

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Hello! Welcome to the last episode of Copy This (the first season of the Carbon Copy Podcast) where we throw the spotlight on big thinking, local climate action.

When was the last time you tried to get your mobile phone or laptop repaired? Chances are that it was impossible but all too easy to buy a replacement instead. This year, the weight of electronic waste produced globally will equal that of the Great Wall of China because repair is so difficult and obsolescence is built into many electronic goods, by design.

But how is repairing and reuse even possible when the throwaway culture is so deeply rooted in our economy? The Fixing Factory is a new project with a fresh approach that not only makes repair and reuse a reality, it’s also applying lateral thinking so electronic ‘waste’ can benefit local communities in as many ways as possible.

In this episode, Fiona Dear of The Restart Project and Emma Beal of West London Waste Authority describe The Fixing Factory’s drive to not only give broken laptops a new lease of life, but to use them to tackle digital inequality, train the fixers of the future, provide training and employment opportunities, as well as create a project blueprint that could be replicated around the UK.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Welcome to the last episode of Copy This (the first season of the Carbon Copy Podcast) where we throw the spotlight on big thinking, local climate action.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Running Out Of Time

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Hello! The longest non-stop relay ever attempted is starting in October 2022, over 7200km from Glasgow in Scotland to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, in the name of climate action. Community leaders, school children and neighbours will pass a relay baton hand-to-hand across 18 countries and show the world what we can achieve if we work together. An extraordinary challenge, requiring extraordinary effort, to achieve extraordinary change.

Listen to Danny Bent, cofounder of The World Relay, about what we hope to accomplish! What better way to represent the unity and strength we wish to see from today's leaders than an inclusive relay linking together thousands of inspiring climate action projects?

Spoiler alert: We did it and made a world record at the same time!!! The United Nations' convention, UNFCCC, recognised our effort as one of the most significant events in the build up to climate summit. Over 4,500 people participated across 18 countries. We drew huge media attention, with a UK reach of over 17 million and millions more across the entire route. And we delivered an important climate message, endorsed by 825,760 people, to the leaders at the global climate summit in Egypt (COP27), urging more support to help people tackle the climate crisis locally where they live.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Civic Revolution: Trailer

A short three-part audiobook about the clash between our culture and wellbeing; and the power of community to resolve this conflict. Based on the book Civic Revolution, and narrated by its author and Carbon Copy co-founder, Ric Casale.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.