Fixit Clinic aims to reduce waste: RethinkWaste, Recology partners with TechShop to spur new ‘do-it-youselfers’

People can bring in non-functioning items such as laptops, cellphones, DVD players, small toasters, kids’ remote control cars, microwaves; basically anything that has batteries or a cord that plugs in and can be carried inside, said Monica Devincenzi, recycling outreach and sustainability manager with the South Bayside Waste Management Authority, also known as RethinkWaste.

“The Fixit Clinic is a great opportunity for people to take a look at what they’ve got around the house and instead of getting rid of it or paying to replace it … come and meet other people, learn how something works and hopefully be able to repair it,” Devincenzi said.

The one-day event will be held at the Shoreway Environmental Center, which is owned by the SBWMA and receives San Mateo County’s recyclables, organics and garbage. Anyone is welcome to join as the groups hope to encourage the general public to keep things out of the waste stream, Devincenzi said.

It has also paired with Fixit Clinic, a group of engineers dedicated to preserving what needs not be wasted. Fixit Clinic has been doing workshop days throughout the Bay Area and, when the SBWMA heard about the group, it thought it’d be a great opportunity for the local community, Devincenzi said.

“From what we’ve heard, these are very popular and it’s kind of falling on the heels of the makers movement that’s going on. And people are into making things and to be able to create you need to know how to fix things as well,” Devincenzi said.

TechShop has joined in to help out and promote the do-it-yourself movement, said Senior General Manager Raffie Colet. TechShop offers several community workspaces throughout the Bay Area, each full of $1 million worth of tools such as laser cutters, welding stations, a metal working shop, a wood shop and design software.

Colet said he hopes Saturday’s clinic will be the first of many collaborative workshops to engage the community through promoting recycling and reusing.

“We’ll be there to help support the event as well as helping people gain awareness as to what their resources are at the TechShop or even at home,” Colet said. “Just to help people get excited about, ‘hey you can make things and create things with materials that are basically free and around you.’”

Devincenzi said the event is aimed at helping reduce what could have ended up in a landfill and empowering consumers by giving them the ability to save money and resources through repair.

“We are a disposable society. This is just trying to help give the general public that support that they can take something and open it up and look what’s inside and learn about what it might take to fix it. It’s not a guarantee, but a lot of times it’s a very simple fix if they know how to do that,” Devincenzi said. “It’s rather than having to throw it away and going out and spending money. So by fixing it, you’re saving the resources it would take to manufacture a new one.”

The drop-in clinic is open to everyone from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 26 at the Shoreway Environmental Center in the Recology Administrative Building, 225 Shoreway Road in San Carlos. The organizers request attendees register ahead of time at www.rethinkwaste.org.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

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