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Listen now | 18 minutes, 12 seconds
You break it, you buy it...again. What's an environmentalist to do when it's pricier to fix a broken appliance than buy a new one? The Eco-chicks talk with a long-time repairman, Ron Webber, about DIY repair. It might be as good for the soul as it is for the landfill.
Published on Aug. 13, 2008 at noon, as part of the The Little Green People Show.
Susan from Indiana commented, on September 3, 2008 at 8:54 p.m.:
I question the idea that there is $$$ to be made in repair. My dad tried to keep a television repair business alive... he used to make house calls! He was out of work by 1978.
I don't know exactly what the hosts mean by "green jobs" but I don't see a bright economic future for repair!
Better just to do what Laurene said, and try to fix it yourself. That's what I do. I repaired my curling iron!
Levon S. commented, on September 8, 2008 at 1:40 p.m.:
Maybe you can't make a full-time living at repair, but my uncle has kinda like a tinkerer's shop in his garage. He's retired from the post office and has a pension. The repair is a good supplement.
Not every job has to pay a $50,000 salary and support a family and all that.
I suck at fixing things myself, so having my uncle around is a good thing. Family discount and all.
Allison commented, on October 17, 2008 at 7:50 p.m.:
ABT electronics in Glenview accepts all types of electronics for recycling at their stand-alone recycling center. People can drive up Thursday-Saturday, between the hours of 2-7, to recycle electronics big and small. Many of the city's hazardous waste centers limit the types of electronics they recycle- they charge a minimal fee for items like tvs and air conditioners, but everything else is free. They accept cardboard and styrofoam too- check it out-it's a great service to the community!