The return of Albuquerque’s Spring Fix It Clinic attracted over 70 participants eager to mend broken items and reduce waste in the community.
The Spring Fix It Clinic made its return to Albuquerque’s Fuze Makerspace on Saturday, attracting over 70 participants eager to repair a range of broken items rather than discarding them. Amid soaring prices for newly imported products, many attendees found value in the event, which aims to extend the lifespan of cherished possessions and reduce waste in the community.
Hosted by the city of Albuquerque in collaboration with CU Lab and Fuze Makerspace, the clinic took place at 101 Broadway NE, serving as a workshop for both novice fixers and those merely observing the process. The event marked the second Fix It Clinic held in the past six months, reflecting a growing interest in hands-on repair efforts.
Jeff DeBellis, the program director of ingenuity at Central New Mexico Community College, played a pivotal role at the clinic. He emphasized the idea that many broken items often have simple issues that, once addressed, can salvage the whole machine. “With a lot of these things, there’s usually just a little thing that broken,” DeBellis commented. He acknowledged his identity as a tinkerer rather than an expert, stating, “I don’t always know what I’m looking for, so I just open it up and find something that doesn’t look right,” highlighting the exploratory spirit of the repairs.
The items brought to the clinic varied widely, including clothing, furniture, electronics, phones, and bicycles. This diversity of objects underscores the clinic’s mission of promoting sustainability and resourcefulness in a society that often prioritizes convenience over repair. Steve Echlos, a coordinator and participant, expressed his enthusiasm for the clinic, stating, “I just love what they do here.” He lamented the societal tendency to dispose of non-functional items, pointing out that “unfortunately, we’ve made a society where we buy stuff, and if it doesn’t work, we throw it away, and it goes to the landfill.”
By connecting community members with the tools and knowledge needed to repair items, the Spring Fix It Clinic fosters a culture of sustainability and resourcefulness, demonstrating the potential for valuable items to regain function with a little assistance.
Source: Noah Wire Services
