Freedom to Repair: Taking on Manufacturers & Winning with iFixit and CA Against Waste

EcoJustice Radio

The Right to Repair our electronics and other materials sounds like a no brainer. But historically manufacturers have said otherwise and fought, with millions of dollars, to stop legislation that allows consumers access to the resources to repair items like cell phones, toasters, and even tractor trucks. On this show Right to Repair takes center stage with guests Liv Butler, Policy Associate for Californians Against Waste [http://www.cawrecycles.org] and Elizabeth Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability for iFixit [https://www.ifixit.com/]. From new legislation in California to the national and global movement and successes, we discuss how manufacturers are being required to provide repair tools, parts, and manuals and examine concern around manufacturer compliance. Right to Repair is an important element in combating planned obsolescence and empowers consumers and small businesses. Our guests provide a thought-provoking look at this intersection of environmentalism, economics, and consumer rights and access. You may be surprised to learn that fixing your own items doesn’t actually void the manufacturers’ warranty. We discuss this and much more. Liv Butler is a Policy Associate at the Sacramento-based environmental advocacy group, Californians Against Waste [http://www.cawrecycles.org]. There, she works on legislation related to Extended Producer Responsibility and recycling issues. Elizabeth Chamberlain heads iFixit's advocacy work, supporting Right to Repair legislation around the globe and pushing for more repair in green electronics standards. The role blends her commitment to climate action, her love of technology, and her doctoral work in digital rhetoric [https://www.ifixit.com/]. Jessica Aldridge, Co-Host and Producer of EcoJustice Radio, is an environmental educator, community organizer, and 15-year waste industry leader. She is a co-founder of SoCal 350, organizer for ReusableLA, and founded Adventures in Waste. She is a former professor of Recycling and Resource Management at Santa Monica College, and an award recipient of the international 2021 Women in Sustainability Leadership and the 2016 inaugural Waste360, 40 Under 40. Related Show https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/the-right-to-repair-your-devices-the-corporate-stranglehold/ Articles https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/video/right-to-repair-rally-held-at-the-california-state-capitol-in-sacramento/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/24/apples-surprising-about-face-right-repair/ Resources https://www.repair.org/ https://pirg.org/campaigns/right-to-repair/ Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer: Jack Eidt Host and Producer: Jessica Aldridge Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Ep. 196