The term “Right to Repair” may not sound familiar to you, but we are sure that you have already heard about it and still do not know it. Its translation into Spanish is “Right to Repair”, now?
Be that as it may, do not worry because we will tell you. Lets start by the beginning! Know more about the key holder.
How did the “Right to Repair” movement come about?
In 2018, some citizens expressed their dissatisfaction with some manufacturers in the United States. The reason was the number of obstacles to the repair of their products (lack of original parts, a repair cost higher than the sale price, or even the well-known planned obsolescence). This social discontent crossed the “pond” and reached the European Parliament. From the European Union, a series of measures were promoted that seek to give consumers the right to repair their products without it being more expensive than buying it again. You might be interested key holder for wall.
The purpose of the measures is clear: to extend the useful life of each product and, consequently, reduce the production of electronic waste, which is already too high in itself. This translates into a series of laws that promote the circular economy, repair services or a smarter consumption model.
Of course, this has a series of positive impacts for everyone, such as the fact that, by extending the life of a product, the carbon footprint is reduced in two ways:
- The same product can have several lives, so we reduce technological waste.
- We are reducing emissions from manufacturing new products because we can look for a greener option. Learn more about modern key holder for wall.
And not only that! We must also take into account that the focus is on the circular economy, raising awareness about it, in addition to creating new jobs and, therefore, wealth.
Why can it be more expensive to repair than to buy?
Surely you have asked yourself that question many times and we have the answer! There are many brands that manufacture their products in relocated places where the raw material, facilities and labor are cheaper than in places around us and, of course, this affects the final price. The fact of repairing not only implies the purchase of new parts, but also the labor and time invested by specialists, which means that the price, in total, can be higher.
As for the environmental impact, it is much greener to be able to recycle a product giving it a second or third life than to buy it again, where many polluting gases are emitted into the atmosphere of our planet.
The “Right to Repair” in Spain
In Spain, some measures have also been taken on the “Right to Repair” such as the change of guarantee on new products from two to three years. In addition, companies must have spare parts for the 10 years following the manufacture of the product, not 5 as before.
In addition, the municipalities are also going a step further, creating awareness and awareness about the importance of extending the useful life of products. An example is the Barcelona City Council, which has already offered free workshops on how to repair household appliances or bicycle repair, among others!
Our habits, in numbers
Until now we have talked about definitions and some benefits for people, but… what if we also talk about numbers?
We don’t want you to be scared, but each person generates 7.3 kg of electronic waste until 2019. This figure increases every year, as we use new electronic devices that come onto the market, such as wireless headphones or smartwatches, or we change devices. Did you know that every 7 seconds a mobile is sold in Europe? In other words, in the time that you have read this post, more than 25 new devices will have been sold… And what will happen to those that are no longer used? You already know that, for us, the best option is to give it a second life. But if the reason you decide to stop using it is because it no longer works, then be fair to the Planet and take it to a Green Point for Electronic Products.
It is up to you to switch to second hand and try to extend the life of your products as much as possible, because adding small grains makes a mountain!
