Photo by: Mariane Khron - Unsplash
Reading the news, and thinking about topics like inequality and climate change, often leaves me feeling helpless and frustrated. But every other month, when I pack my sewing machine and supplies for Repair Cafe, I know that in my own small way, I’ll make a difference by helping others reuse items destined for the landfill. We’ve seen the statistics: in 2015, Americans threw almost 138 million tons of trash, including electronics, textiles, and other goods, in landfills.[1] Repair Café provides the strength our communities need to stand up to planned obsolescence and to Big Plastic and to build positive connections.
I grew up in a “Repair Café” house, with creative parents who love to repair things and who watched their Depression-era parents save and reuse rather than throwing something away. I learned to sew when I was four and used my sewing skills to make and repair doll clothes and then as I became older, to repair my own thrift store finds for myself and my family. I visited the Repair Café in 2017 and was instantly hooked. I loved, and continue to love, the idea of giving a favorite clothing item a longer life. My first morning as a volunteer “Stitcher” was an exhilarating time that involved animated pleas from other volunteers for pins and scissors, laughs, and a lot of learning. I repaired pants hems, enlarged waistbands, and fixed holes in backpacks and bags. The day went by in a blur, but I remember feeling almost deliriously happy from all the positive energy and gratitude. I felt so lucky to be part of the volunteer teams.
The community-building part of the Repair Café is also meaningful. Not only do we volunteers experience endorphins that produce the “helper’s high,” but we also connect with other volunteers.[2] My fellow Stitchers recently met up for a skills workshop and even though I am in a different stage of life than the other volunteers, I felt welcomed and valued. Plus, I always learn new sewing techniques and tricks and will hopefully be a more efficient Stitcher next time.
I still feel helpless when I read the news, but thanks to the Repair Café, I have learned to immediately think, “And I’m doing something about it.” Join us! Our next Repair Café is on March 30th, 2019 http://www.repair-cafe-pasadena.org
-----Megan Knize
[1] https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-07/documents/final_accessible_2018_infographic.pdf
[2] https://www.fsfreepressonline.com/news/2013/09/23/helpers-high-occurs-for-volunteers/
