November 5, 2020
We are all on edge right now with an Election day that’s turned to an Election Week. All eyes and minds are focused on who will be our next President but I’ve been watching another election in Massachusetts. It’s Question 1, an amendment to a 2012 landmark law that forces car manufacturers to share repair data with independent repair technicians.
On Tuesday, Massachusetts residents voted, and passed, on an updated Right to Repair bill that would force vehicle manufacturers to share repair data with vehicle owners and independent repair shops. This legislation will allow consumers the option to get their cars fixed outside of the dealership. Whether you go to a professional technician or a self repair in your garage, everyone has access to the same data. Of course manufacturers have voiced push back on this ruling but the fact is that consumers want to fix their belongings rather than being forced to take their vehicle to an authorized (expensive) dealership.
If you feel like your cars, appliances and electronics are breaking down more and more often than they use to that’s because they are! It’s not that our stuff is being made more cheaply (well maybe), its that more computer and technological advancements are being integrated into our goods and making them harder, if not impossible, to fix. This forces you to upgrade and buy new product with the option to throw away or “recycle” your old device or appliance. That’s not sustainable and contributes to the ongoing problem of landfill waste. Enter the Repair and Recycle bill. It’s kind of a big deal.
The bill may only pertain to MA at the moment but other states will likely follow suite and extend into the tech market. This means your iPhone, Android, tablet, washer, dryer and other household appliances could become easier to fix and be rid of a “break and replace” mentality. Just imagine the empowerment you’ll feel when your washer breaks down and actually be able to fix it yourself!
Right to Repair doesn’t just give consumers true ownership of their possessions by allowing them to fix and modify them at will. Supporting Right to Repair raises product quality, knocks down monopolies and creates healthy competition for repair technicians in multiple industries while also promoting sustainability!
Repair on! It’s our right!
You can learn more about Right to Repair Initiative at these links:
