Why Repairability Matters

In some ways, our preponderance toward tech disposability is systemic. We consumers in the US are denied the right to repair: fixing a broken smartphone, then, is costly. It's simply more convenient to replace our broken item for the newest model. When your device is broken you should have more options than a high-priced service or the landfill, and New York agrees. The Digital Fair Repair Act should make it easier to repair our smartphones and laptops at shops of *our* choosing. It's good news, because the law may ultimately bring down repair prices for all of us. And if repair is affordable? Fingers crossed, tech stays out of landfills. On today's show: Nicholas De Leon from Consumer Reports breaks down this landmark grassroots consumer win.   Here's a preview: [3:45] Need-to-know details about New Yorks' Digital Fair Repair Act [9:00] Why aren't dishwashers, washing machines, and other "white goods" covered? [19:30] What if any benefits from NY's new law will non-New Yorkers receive?  [25:00] The bigger picture: Why repair what's designed to break?   Resources mentioned: New York Right-to-Repair Law Promises Easier, Cheaper Electronics Repairs (via Consumer Reports) iFixit   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Om Podcasten

Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).