WASHINGTON — Electronic waste is a big issue impacting our environment. There's a free program in D.C. hoping to make a difference. Fix-It DC wants to help you repair your electronics and household items instead of tossing them in landfills.
"We're really trying to encourage repair and reuse over throwing away and buying new," said Ida Arabshahi with D.C.'s Department of Energy and Environment.
DC DOEE is in charge of a program called Fix-It DC. It matches you up with a repair coach to fix broken appliances, electronics, bikes and basically anything else you can carry into one of their events, hosted at D.C.'s public libraries.
"So if someone wants to get their coffee machine fixed, they would register to attend a workshop and we'll pair them up with a coach to help them try to repair their item," Arabshahi said.
Everything that is fixed is tracked and weighed, because D.C.'s diversion goal is to reduce its waste by 80% by the year 2032. If you don't have any e-waste, you can still participate as a coach.
"You don't have to have a ton of repair skills, just an attitude of wanting to help people and working with other residents to try to repair their items," Arabshahi said.
For more information and to participate, visit Fix-It DC's website here.