IS IT BROKEN? DON'T TOSS WHAT YOU CAN FIX INSTEAD
Posted on 01.30.08
By: Reed Parsell
Have you noticed that a lot of today’s “go green” movement amounts to a feel-good excuse to go shopping? Increasingly, marketers view anything that’s green as golden. “In this great land of ours, where freedoms don’t come free, we have a moral obligation to lead the charge against environmental destruction. We are Americans, and as such must consume our way out of this whole climate-change mess!”
Before you buy into such a notion, take a look around you. Yes, right there in your home office, or your family room, or your studio apartment or even in your workplace cubicle. You are surrounded by things whose ingredients already have been mined, dredged, chemically concocted, sewn, pressed, carved, heated, cooled, grown -- whatever. They already have been transported, manufactured, packaged, transported (again), stocked, tagged, purchased, transported (yet again) to your home, unpackaged and set up (or set down).
In other words, those things that you see already have made the bulk of their so-called carbon footprints. If they still serve a purpose for you, why replace them or redirect them to a landfill, where their final carbon footprint will manifest itself for a long time, in possibly destructive ways?
Ah, you say, but some of the things you possess no longer work. They no longer serve a purpose, other than taking up space. Not a good situation, I’ll grant you. But if you really are interested in walking the talk of green living, you should consider getting whatever it is that’s broken repaired, not replaced. You might be surprised to learn how easy it is to get things fixed in this Sacramento.Once you have ushered a few old possessions back from the brink of landfill oblivion, you also might be surprised how good it makes you feel.
The Sacramento region contains innumerable shops, services and individuals who are ready to put your things back into working order. What follows is a massively incomplete list of repairs and repairers, a list that if it doesn’t help you directly should inspire you to consider all the green possibilities of re-use, rather than replace. Please add your own suggestions for getting things fixed in the comments.
Appliances: Washing machines, dryers and refrigerators take up a lot of space in landfills. Keep them humming until the bitter end, if possible. S&S Appliance Repair, 1816 Diamond Woods Circle, Roseville; (916) 601-2136
Bathtubs and sinks: There’s no need to rip up your bathroom for a new tub if your old one can be restored to its original luster. Miracle Method Bathroom & Kitchen Restoration, 5750 Roseville Road, Sacramento; (916) 332-3575.
Cameras: Go ahead, give that intricate piece of memory-preserving equipment one last shot. California Precision Service, 1714 28th St., Sacramento; (916) 451-1330.
Clocks: Don’t wait another second to get that old timepiece in up-to-the-minute condition. The Clock Shop, 2630 Fulton Ave., Sacramento; (916) 483-6618.
Computers: How in good green conscience can you not call on a repairman who rides his bike to every job? Christian Blackburn of Fast and Friendly Computer Repair; (916) 224-7035.
Jacuzzis, hot tubs and spas: Although there may be some go-green contradictions about keeping a big tub of water constantly heated to 100 degrees, you might as well make the most of it while you can. Aquastar Spa Repair Service; (916) 988-8606.
Musical instruments: Rediscover the squeaky sounds of your grade-school clarinet by having its pads replaced. Kline Music, 2200 Sutterville Road, Sacramento; (916) 456-8742.
Rugs: Don’t look down on that torn Persian carpet -- get it fixed. Sacramento Rug Works, 1308 65th St., Sacramento; (916) 455-3081.
Shoes: Trofim Banar will get you back on your stylishly encased feet, or restore your luggage to airport-carousel durability. Arden & Howe Shoe & Luggage Repair, 1537 Howe Ave., Sacramento; (916) 922-2362.
Windows and stained glass: Replacing broken panes need not be a pain. Simply contact Custom Glassworks, 1166 34th Ave., Sacramento; (916) 955-7026.
bceniceros
Great suggestions! That is, all of them EXCEPT the one about appliances. While there is little difference in efficiency between the old and new generations of some appliances such as toasters and microwaves, many people may not realize that a refrigerator more than 15 years old uses twice the energy of a new Energy Star model. You will actually reduce your carbon footprint by recycling your old fridge (and SMUD will pay you $35 and do it for you!) even when considering the lifecycle impacts. A new front-loading washer uses less than half the water and much less energy than an old top-loader. There are similar benefits in going from a gas mower to an electric or push mower, from a five gallon/flush toilet to low-flow, etc. When deciding whether to fix or replace, a little investigation pays off to ensure you don’t keep a gross energy or water hog around for perpetuity (while it secretly sucks money out of your wallet and resources out of the environment).