The Right to Repair Movement
Before the dawn of mass consumerism, which skyrocketed in the 1950’s, we kept items in use - we repaired everything we had. Items were made simpler, we didn’t depend on intricate technologies for facilitating every aspect of our living. Now, all of the gear, equipment, electronics we rely on are often made to be obsolete, we throw them away because repairing them is too complicated or costly, or there are other barriers intentionally placed to prevent us from repairing our possessions. As Greenpeace states, “All this technology is now increasingly subject to ‘digital locks’, which block customers or independent repairers from fixing these devices. It’s true, our devices are not only designed to have short life spans, manufacturers are standing between you — and your right to repair your own stuff at a fair and competitive price.”
Digital locks, planned obsolescence and cheaply made products have created the perfect storm for the ultra-speed consumerism treadmill. Unlike the workout devices some of us keep in our homes, there’s no choice for getting on or off this well oiled machine. Through societal norms and expectations, people become reliant on products that continually break down, and are thus gripped to continually replace these items. This is expensive and contributes to symptoms that cause and exacerbate poverty, all the while, corporations increasingly turn a profit. Apple, a company known for actively working against the right to repair movement, increased its revenue by almost 90 billion in the first three months of 2020, smashing records from the previous year.
The right to repair movement impacts everyone to some degree. Most of us in industrialized nations rely on some type of product to execute the necessities in our life, but also to fulfill the joy of our hobbies and interests. The intersection of this movement with outdoor gear is that these products should be built to last; be durable; be accessible to always fix. Specifically, the stakes are higher for people who run the risk of needing to repair this gear in all kinds of scenarios, from sea level to alpine. Repair kits for tents, sleeping bags, mattress pads are becoming more commonplace, as well as repair shops for outdoor sports equipment. Akin to other products of the same nature, outdoor electronics remain more vulnerable, which includes being impacted by digital locks. This is significant as the use of outdoor electronics is on the rise, despite the romantic yearning to completely disconnect in the backcountry. These gadgets have the ability to keep people safer, be able to communicate in emergencies, navigate desired terrain, and, of course, capture the most memorable and aesthetic moments.
Power driven devices making their way into our backpacks include action cameras, handheld GPS devices, satellite communications devices, radio, charging stations and watches. Like the rest of the electronic world, these products aren’t remaining where they belong: energizing our journeys. Many find fate in junk drawers, the crevices of the garage we plan to tidy every week, or electronic wastelands. According to Statista, electronic waste, known as e-waste, is one of the fastest growing waste streams around the world. Many citizens do not properly dispose of electronics or not have the means to do this, as electronic recycling is not accessible in every locale. Even when recycled, 30% electronic material cannot be recovered.
What the waste?
The consequence of not being able to repair electronics and other products is an excessive amount of waste produced. The World Counts chronicles just a glimpse into the crisis of this linear economy:
We generate more than 48 million tons of electronic waste every year, worldwide. That’s like throwing away 800 laptops every second.
An average cell phone user replaces their unit once every 18 months.
E-waste comprises 70% of our overall toxic waste.
Only 12.5% of E-Waste is recycled.
80% of E-Waste in the US and most other countries are transported to Asia.
Earth’s resources are limited, replacing the incessant stream of discarded electronics also requires continual extraction of metals like gold and silver, as well as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and chromium. Interconnected with the ecological issues, the costs of e-waste also bleed into humanity, from the people not paid a living wage who help manufacture electronics to waste workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. Recycling and separation of e-waste is also growing in developing nations, “in most cases, this is done informally, with no or hardly any health and safety standards, exposing workers and the surrounding neighborhoods to extensive health dangers as well as leading to substantial environmental pollution” (Reviews on Environmental Health, 2016). This pollution encompasses air, water and soil pollution caused by burning and leaching of e-waste.
We must ask ourselves: who is winning in this electronic equation? It’s not citizens trying to make a living (in developed and developing nations), keep themselves economically afloat, and, if they can, get their gadgets into the outdoors. Amidst these muddy waters, what’s clear is this: repair and continual use is the best policy. According to Vice, “The most logical reason for manufacturers to oppose [right to repair] bills is that it would democratize the repair economy, making it possible for consumers to fix their own things and cutting into the profits of repairs done at, for example, the Apple store.” When manufacturers hinder citizens from being able to repair their possessions, they are preemptively sentencing thousands upon thousands of machines to an early death.
A Future for Repair
The European Union and various states in the US are working to implement the right to repair legislation that protects and serves citizens. In February 2021, the EU voted in favour of passing this legislation as part of the Circular Economy Action Plan. This legislative campaign encompasses comprehensive regulatory measures to fully address the waste caused by a linear economy:
Overall support for measures on waste prevention and repairability as well as establishing a new ‘right to repair’.
Repair and maintenance information: free access to repair and maintenance information, including software updates, and fair access for independent repairers.
Spare parts: mandatory minimum periods of availability, and maximum delivery times for a range of product categories.
Legal guarantee: extension of the legal guarantee and reversal of the burden of proof for products with a higher estimated lifetime, including direct producer liability.
Repair and durability labelling: harmonised labelling on products, possible in the form of an index or repair score.
Ban on planned obsolescence: a legislative measure to prevent practices which result in planned obsolescence.
Supports the Circular Electronics Initiative to address issues of obsolescence and repairability, upgradability and access to software.
Calls for swift finalisation of existing eco-design work on electronics and ICT, i.e. for smartphones, tablets, computers, printers, and network equipment, by no later than 2021
Outlines the potential for repair and maintenance sectors, “local, grassroots and community repair initiatives, co-operatives and social enterprises” to create jobs
Looking towards the shores here in Canada, the right to repair movement has had a rocky journey. This included Bill 72 which was calling to amend the Consumer Protection Amendment Act (AKA Right to Repair Electronic Products), but was lost at second reading in May, 2019. Now, a new bill, C-272, introduced by MP Bryan Jones, is proposing to update the Copyright Act to prevent the use of “technological protection measures”, or digital locks, to block repairs of devices. A true right to repair movement encompasses many more measures, as seen with the calls to action in the EU. Hopefully, this bill is a catalyst for more to come. This is where we, the people, the stone and mortar of this movement, can have an influence. Likely, something we acquire new or used may need to be repaired at some point. We can contribute to Right to Repair while protecting the environment, each other and our finances by:
Contacting our Member of Parliament and let them know we support comprehensive right to repair regulations in Canada. You can use the EU measures as points to share and anything else that resonates in this article!
Sign on to Greenpeace’s petition that supports the Right to Repair movement in Canada!
Check out ifixit.com, whose mission is to teach the world to fix everything! Dig into their free repair guides and let these inform your Promise to Repair Pledge.
When absolutely needing to recycle electronics, find a certified e-waste recycler.
Older electronics that still function but have been replaced can be donated to charities or social programs, or anyone else who may need!
At Outmost, we uphold the Right to Repair movement, honouring the gear we have as a curated part of our outdoor odysseys.
