REDWOOD CITY — Californians throw about 40 million tons of trash into landfills each year, including gadgets, electronics, appliances, toys and items that no longer work. On the peninsula, an army of volunteers shows that people can solve problems.
Redwood City Public Library, located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Middlefield Road, is a place for people seeking lifelong learning, historical perspective, fresh ideas, culture, news, and community.
It is also the place where the “Fixit Clinic'' run by veteran volunteers is held.
These are workshops where neighbors help in repairing household appliances, household appliances and gadgets of all kinds.
One of many public libraries in San Mateo County and the Bay Area, where residents can take apart, troubleshoot and repair broken items, learn new lifelong skills and collaborate.
“We're looking at everything. It's kind of improvisational. You never know what the public is going to bring you. I think most of the stuff is what you'll see on BestBuy or Amazon.” said Peter Mew, Fixit clinic director.
The Fixit clinic is organized by the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability, but is run by Mew and his brave volunteers, who are equipped with the proper equipment.
Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and have worked in everything from electronics, software engineering, healthcare to auto mechanics.
They provide a work space and tools, including special screwdrivers, and help you learn how to repair items or perform routine maintenance. Volunteers often help each other in times of need.
“We all have different knowledge and backgrounds. If I'm working on something I don't know about, I know I'm going to go and get other people and try to fix this mix master. They'll say yes. Have you done this before? We've done this before, so let's do it together,” volunteer Frank Peavey explained.
The clinic's goal is simple. It's about keeping repairable items out of municipal landfills.
“Because the planet needs it from us, because we keep making a mess,” volunteer Cindy Navarro declared.
Miu told CBS News Bay Area that our society must move away from mindless consumerism and planned obsolescence.
“Our consumption is destroying the planet and we are essentially using up the planet's resources faster than they can be replenished,” he warned.
It is well known that solid waste and organic materials dumped in landfills contribute to climate change through the production of a powerful greenhouse gas known as methane.
But research has also linked discarded electronics to being a source of greenhouse gases and contributing to climate change.
More than 146 million tons of electronic waste, including e-waste, end up in landfills in the United States each year.
“Our county has a waste reduction program and one of the ways we reduce visible waste is by restoring and creating a concept where things are repaired rather than thrown into a landfill. ” said sustainability expert Shobha Ale Magar. and San Mateo County.
CBS News Bay Area caught up with Diane Heditsian at the workshop, who is determined to get her vintage Sunbeam MixMasters working again.
“I came here today to see if we can fix it,” Hedisian said.
San Mateo County residents said the blender belonged to their mother and grandmother.
“These represent me, especially as a little girl studying in the kitchen next to my mother,” she said.
To bring items directly to the clinic, you must register online and there are no walk-ins. There is no cost.
There is no guarantee that your item will be fixed, but if it is, the entire workshop will be notified. Miu and staff will be making announcements, taking photos, and ringing Tibetan bells.
Success stories abounded, including waffle irons, vacuum cleaners, porcelain figurines, and an 84-year-old vintage Emerson Electric fan.
Peavy and another volunteer helped find the culprit plaguing Hedissian's blender. A sticky, oily sludge was found inside the part that prevented the blade from rotating. Once I cleaned all the residue from the gear, the blender came back to life.
Tibetan bells rang for the Hedisians and blenders, and there was much applause.
The San Mateo County Office of Sustainability is also experimenting with a “virtual fix clinic,” where people can fix things from home and receive remote advice and coaching from volunteers.