In an era defined by rapid technological development, the exponential growth of electronic devices creates convenience and unprecedented challenges. As new technologies and gadgets transform our lifestyles, a silent crisis looms on the horizon: electronic waste, or e-waste, is a significant threat to our environment. Making devices easier to repair so that they last longer can help stop a tidal wave of electronic trash.
E-waste not only packs landfills but also releases toxic substances into soil and water, endangering ecosystems and public health, in no small part as a consequence of corporations not designing their products to last. Consumers and small businesses have called for greater autonomy and the ability to affordably repair defective and worn out products, in what has come to be known as the Right-to-Repair movement.
As expected, corporate push-back to such proposals has…