Repair it yourself

CSO: Traperos Huelva
Area: Responsible Consumption and Circular Economy.
Location: Alosno (2.982 h.), Cartaya (21.408 h.), El Almendro (858 h.), El Granado (493 h.), Puebla de Guzmán (3.095 h.), San Bartolomé de la Torre (4036 h.), San Silvestre de Guzmán (644 h.), Sanlúcar de Guadiana (416 h.), Santa Barbara de Casa (1.128 h.), Villablanca (2.979 h.), Villanueva de los Castillejos (2.936 h.) y Gibraleón (13.144 h.) y Huelva city

Type of project

The project for the self-repair of small electrical appliances, furniture and clothing developed in the municipalities of the Beturia Association, the municipality of Gibraleón and, to a lesser extent, in the city of Huelva, seeks not only to extend the useful life of these appliances, but also to reduce the population’s resistance to recycling and caring for the environment through practical education and community participation.

15 months of duration.

Many people view recycling and reuse as a distant or complicated process, especially in the case of electronic waste, which is also a priority item in the waste hierarchy. However, when communities learn to repair their own small appliances (such as blenders, toasters or hair dryers, furniture or textiles) with the right guidance, a change in mindset occurs, leading to:

1. Waste Reduction: By repairing instead of replacing, people directly understand how their actions prevent these devices from ending up in landfills, reducing their ecological footprint.
2. Circular Economy: The project promotes the idea that objects can have multiple lives, dismantling the ‘use and throw away’ culture and showing concrete alternatives.
3. Citizen Empowerment: By acquiring basic repair skills, participants lose their fear of handling their devices and feel more responsible for caring for the environment.

Target (Disengaged)

Residents of the 12 municipalities involved: Alosno, Cartaya, El Almendro, El Granado, Puebla de Guzmán, San Bartolomé de la Torre, San Silvestre de Guzmán, Sanlúcar de Guadiana, Santa Barbara de Casa, Villablanca, Villanueva de los Castillejos and Gibralón, belonging to the Beturia Association of Municipalities. 

Other agents/institutions: Educational centres (15); Local businesses (18 agribusinesses and 13 shops); Neighbourhood and cultural associations (20); EMA-RTV; others.

The project tangibly demonstrates the link between consumption, electronic waste, and the climate crisis. By participating in practical workshops, emotional connection is fostered (by empowering them with useful skills) and rational connection (by quantifying their environmental contribution).

Science – Based

The project promotes trust in science by structuring its activities around evidence-based methods and experiential learning, using a rigorous methodology: teaching how to diagnose faults through systematic testing (voltage measurement, circuit analysis, etc.), introducing physics or engineering concepts in an applied way, demonstrating that science is accessible and useful, such as water savings per tonne of reused textiles, carbon footprint avoided per repaired item (calculations using IPCC methodology). Infographics will be created using data from the AERESS CO₂ calculator, among others.

Gender

Inclusive strategies are adopted: workshops with adapted schedules that allow caregivers (mostly women) to participate, non-sexist language will be used in training materials, and activities will be carried out in safe spaces where collaboration is encouraged over competitiveness. Specific workshops to break stereotypes, such as ‘Electronics for women’ (taught by women) or ‘Sewing for men’ (with a professional focus), with equal participation.

Planned activities

Increase interest in recycling and repair among the populations involved in order to protect the environment and reduce the ecological footprint through practical education and community participation.

Action model

To this end, participatory methodologies will be implemented through regular travelling repair workshops in each municipality involved. In addition, intergenerational workshops will be organised to recover traditional repair skills, together with training in green trades (bicycle repair and textile upcycling). Likewise, ‘do-it-yourself repair corners’ equipped with basic tools will be set up in each municipality, and collective repair days will be organised. Community ambassadors will be promoted, such as influential residents trained to promote recycling and the circular economy, murals will be installed with information on the specific improvements brought about by repair and reuse, and a closing day will be organised to share the results of the project.