Volunteer-run repair events are teaching people to fix broken appliances instead of tossing them out.Repair cafés bring together retired engineers, electricians, and hobbyist tinkerers to help neighbors mend toasters, lamps, and laptops free of charge. Organizers estimate the events divert meaningful amounts of small electronics from landfills each year while passing down practical repair skills that formal education rarely covers anymore. The model has spread from its Dutch origins to hundreds of cities worldwide.
