The Restart Project Podcast

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Restart Podcast Ep. 42: A computer clinic for (and by) the community May 30, 2019

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In this episode, we travel to the northwest of England to meet Dave and Anne Carlos, co-founders of the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic. Set up by the Emmanuel Church, this Computer Clinic wants to serve the community by lowering people's barriers to technology, while making devices last for longer. We interview Dave Carlos, and we hear from various organisers, fixers and attendees of one of these 'clinics', which take place at the Rossall Tavern, the local pub. Lowering barriers to using technology At the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic, anyone can get help with technology. A team of 'geeks', as they proudly call themselves, will have a look at your device, and help you maintain it, repair it... or simply use it better! The area of Fleetwood used to be a prosperous fishing town, but it has been deeply affected economically. Most people can't spend much on technology, and hence they can find it hard to repair their products. Even getting help with software, or getting simple tips to use your devices, can be hard. In this context, the Computer Clinic has created a space for digital inclusion, where money, and knowledge, are no longer such high barriers to own technology. Like at our Restart Parties, there is no cost for attending the clinics. Also, even though the Computer Clinic is set up by the Emmanuel Church, any one - participant or organiser - can be part of the events, whatever their faith. Part of a wider movement We got in touch with the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic when they signed the Manchester Declaration. As Dave Carlos told us, they joined the declaration for a clear reason: "anybody who's ever worked on a laptop knows that it is not meant to be repaired [...]. The Manchester Declaration is not only talking about the fact that we need more repairable kit. But that manufacturers have a responsibility to make it repairable." Rob Ginny, Pastor from the Emmanuel Church, also reminds us that the Church as an institution generally needs to catch up with environmental matters. With this mindset, supporting a movement where people reuse instead of throwing away, seems like the right direction. People come to the repair movement with many different backgrounds and perspectives. The West Fleetwood Computer Clinic is putting humans at the centre, thinking further than their own community. They are now recording repair data through the Fixometer, and they are part of the wider network of communities who are fixing to improve life for each other, and for the planet.

Restart Radio: The overlooked but fascinating world of standards May 16, 2019

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Janet, James and Restarter Ben Skidmore talk about the overlooked but fascinating world of product standards, and how they affect our right to repair devices. To learn more about standards, we hear from Chloe Fayole from ECOS, the European Environmental Citizens Organisation for Standardisation. Before diving into standards, we discuss some recent news. To start, we celebrate Fixfest Italia, the first national community repair gathering in Italy. James tells us about his time at the event, and how exciting it was to meet people in the Italian network. We also comment on the recent near-hysteria around plans of a Huawei 5G network rollout in the UK. Product standards: the power of industry During the show, we play our prerecorded interview with Chloe Fayole, who walks us through the world of standards at European level. Standards define guidelines for products or processes. They are not legislation per se, however, they are increasingly used as a tool to implement new legislation and policies. Therefore, Chloe warns, it is crucial to be aware of how industry-dominated standards are, and the need for more voices to be represented. People want more repairable products, and the product standards developed at European level can affect the repairability and lifetime of our devices. Chloe talks about the importance of creating standards both in a horizontal way (for all products), which could include ease of disassembly or the provision of spare parts for a minimum of years, but also product-specific, going into the detail and particularities of each device. Reclaiming the citizens' voice Product standards and our right to repair are closely linked. However, contributing to the discussion around product standards demands a lot of time and technical skills, and these conversations are heavily industry-dominated. So how can citizens be heard? People have a role in expressing themselves and their expectations of products, adding the consumer perspective to the conversation. As an example, Chloe talks about 'making obsolescence a scandal' and reporting it, but also about the importance of gathering data to know the barriers experienced by consumers when trying to repair what they own. We also stress the need to include professional repairers in the conversation, given their direct expertise with repairability and issues affecting product lifetimes.

Restart Podcast Ep. 41 Exploring waste in space Apr 25, 2019

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We are currently in the midst of Earth Week, but in this episode, we are going to space. The environmental cost of technology is not just felt on the ground. And e-waste doesn’t just exist on earth, it exists in orbit too - and we've created loads in the past couple of decades. Eager to know more, we reached out to the European Space Agency (ESA) and talked to Luisa Innocenti. She is Head of ESA's Clean Space initiative, which exists to reduce the environmental impact of space activities both on the ground and in space. The uncontrolled, polluting space debris Waste in space is commonly called space debris, which includes all objects in space which are not controlled, ranging from a few millimetres to an entire satellite, so from a few grams to several tons. Space debris can be very dangerous if it collides with active satellites. Over the last decades, we have created loads of e-waste in space - we discuss the question of responsibility when countries abandon the objects they launch in outer space. Tackling waste through ecodesign ESA suggests various solutions to tackle space debris. One of them is ecodesign, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of space tech throughout its lifetime, from design to disposal. It is crucial also to plan for durability and obsolescence when designing this technology. As Luisa points out, in what relates to satellites: "when you are in space, you cannot replace a part if it doesn't work". We also talk about strategies to plan for the end of life of satellites in space, and technology to remove the debris already there. Linking space and earth tech We may not realise enough how much our daily use of technology on Earth is depending on technology in orbit: the best example is the navigation systems. Space technology is crucial for the accurate location in our phones, but also for weather forecasting or for watching live TV almost anywhere in the world. As most of our devices rely on things orbiting around our planet, space debris needs to be tackled to keep our technology working. We also ask whether keeping space "clean" is important in its own right. Thanks to ESA for the extra audio from this episode, including satellite launches or the dramatic end of the Rosetta mission. Thank you also to the 'Space Roomba' podcast episode, from Flash Forward, which was an initial inspiration to learn more about space debris.

Restart Radio: The Iridium anomaly, your mobile and the dinosaurs Apr 11, 2019

Show notes

Coinciding nicely with the first image of a black hole, this April is Space Month on Restart Radio, where both our live show and podcast will be space-themed. In this show, we talk to Jessika Luth Richter, a circular economy researcher at Lund University in Sweden, and we learn about the relationship between raw materials and space, including the 'Iridium anomaly'. First, we chat about tech news. From the recent Apple GiveBack trade-in programme to their leaking of plans to respond to Right to Repair pressure, to the hijacking of ASUS software updates or the risks of 'smartphone zombies' - are you one of them? Discovering Iridium: from mobiles to dinosaurs During the show, we learn about a very particular chemical element: Iridium (Ir). While Iridium is very rare on the Earth's crust, it is found on much higher concentrations (around 100 times higher) on an internal Earth layer, the one marking the boundary in geological times of 66 million years ago. So where could this metal have come from? The hypothesis is: from an asteroid, which could also have triggered the extinction of dinosaurs. Next we talk more about this element and discuss some of its current uses today. Despite its rarity, Iridium is used in the manufacturing of electrical contacts, certain electrical wires and electrodes. It can also be found in smartphones with OLED displays. Given its great properties for industry and tech, alongside its scarcity and supply risks (85% is mined only in South Africa), Iridium is a critical material. Space mining and environmental cost Could we get raw materials from space, like Iridium from meteorites? Rare earth elements from the moon? We talk about space mining, and how, despite various efforts, this seems still far away. The further we want to reach out in space, we will have to face questions of infrastructure, how we are getting there and back to Earth. We talk about space missions, Space X and people's dreams to travel outside Earth. Be it for mining or for passenger travel, we reflect on the environmental cost of travelling to space. While space exploration inspired the environmental movement when we were able to see Earth from outer space, we still need to think about how we use materials on Earth. Or will we mine materials from space, for them to simply become waste? *As part of Space month, both our live show and podcast will be space-themed. Watch out for our Space podcast at the end of the month!*

Restart Podcast Ep. 40: When solar lamps break down Mar 28, 2019

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Solar lamps have been envisioned as a groundbreaking innovation for regions with no electricity. But what happens when solar gadgets break down? We travel to Scotland to interview Jamie Cross, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, whose team has developed Solar What?, a modular and repairable solar lamp. In this episode, you will also hear from participants at our Restart Parties, sharing their thoughts on solar products and on the importance of repairability when buying goods. Promising solar without repairability Jamie tells us the story of the first testing of a solar lamp in a small village in Northern India. This technology, which was replacing the former kerosene lamps, was initially welcomed and people used the solar lamps at home for working or studying. However, after around five years, Jamie witnessed how these products weren't working anymore: batteries reached their end of life, switches got stuck or broken... and the lamps were very hard to fix! When solar lamps break, some people might try to fix these lamps themselves, or try to get help locally. People employ local problem solving, or jugaad in Hindi. However, if further help is needed, things get complicated when living in rural areas. We talk about issues of having to travel long distances for someone to check your device, and probably come back at least a second time if the product requires spare parts. Solar What? Designing for longer lifetimes Solar What? is a small solar-powered lamp that has been designed explicitly so it could be taken apart, repaired and kept in use for as long as possible. Rowan Spear, the team's lead designer, joined us too for part of the interview to share insights from their recent testing of Solar What? in Zambia. Jamie's team have also developed an off-grid Solar scorecard, which ranks solar products in terms of their repairability, recyclability or access to spare parts. We can't help but think of our Solar 'Hall of Shame' comprised of unfixable products encountered at our Restart Parties. Designing solar products for repairability can extend their lifetimes and therefore also reduce the solar waste stream. According to Jamie, current estimates suggest that the electronic waste from the off-grid solar industry is equivalent to electronic waste from the mobile phone industry. Finally, we note that the same products, of the same quality, are manufactured for both the UK and other parts of the world, including places off-grid. Right to Repair discussions, now increasingly prominent in Europe and the US, should also be translated into these contexts where durability and repairability are paramount.

Restart Radio: Growing indoors for Brexit survival Mar 15, 2019

Show notes

Tongue-in-cheek, we talk about the upcoming Brexit deadline and the potential of indoor growing to feed us in a time of crisis. We are joined by Ande Gregson, founder of Greenlab and expert in urban agriculture, and by Halima Koundi, Restart Volunteer Coordinator who leads our Rosie the Restarter skillshares. First, we discuss tech news. Shared scooters are becoming an e-waste problem. Thanks to the open-data policy of Louisville, Kentucky, researchers learned that the average lifetime of electric scooters operated in the city by the company Bird is only 28.8 days. We've seen teardowns of bikeshare bikes, and we worry about the high amount of technology embedded in them. Who is responsible for this e-waste when these products reach their end of life? Indoor growing at Greenlab We then get into the day's topic. Ande founded London-based Greenlab to apply the spirit of the makerspace community to indoor growing. It is a space for early-stage businesses involved with the circular economy who want to grow products in different ways, from cotton with less water to algae for a replacement feed in agriculture. Zero waste and circular economy are at the heart of Greenlab, an environmental perspective rarely found in makerspaces. Ande highlights their work on recycling: their tables are made out of recycled timber, and they recycle food waste, plastics and metal. Although not the electronics they need to run their systems. Getting started: from a window to Arduino Halima mentions her interest in growing food at her new flat, and Ande gives out some tips for beginners - our window, for instance, is a good start to grow basil or rosemary. He also recommends looking for community seed banks which commonly give seeds out for free. We also talk about the tech that can be used to do indoor growing. Ande points us to the London Hackspace as a place where one can learn about Arduino, a microcontroller that can be used from your phone to keep track of all the conditions affecting your growing space, like temperature or humidity. We also comment on the energy consumption of indoor growing which can be quite varied depending on what you are farming, although Ande recommends relying on solar. So will Greenlab help 'preppers' survive Brexit? Ande is optimistic that the process won't affect our supply chains excessively, as long as we avoid a no-deal scenario. Greenlab hosts free open evenings at their space in Bermondsey, London every last Thursday of the month. We will also be hosting a 'Rosie Restart Party' on 30th March in London, which will be a Restart Party just for women and non-binary people.

Restart Podcast Ep. 39: Repair and autonomy in a networked world Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

The design of technology and technological systems has deep consequences for our use of products and services. Alison Powell, Assistant Professor at LSE, researches our understanding and building of technology, from a social perspective, and how technological systems in turn change the way we work and live together. Powell spoke at our inaugural Fixfest in 2017 alongside Kyle Wiens of iFixit, and we'd been meaning to invite her onto our podcast since. In this episode, we discuss links between design, innovation and our right to repair. A question of rights, plural As Powell suggests, we can think of the right to repair as a right to have autonomy. The right to know how our devices work and the autonomy to make decisions like modifying them or fixing them if they break. Her earlier work on open hardware informs her perspectives on autonomy and its possibilities. We talk about repairability as a great example of information asymmetry - as manufacturers have control over repair manuals and spare parts, they restrict the capacity of people to understand and fix their products. A right to audit, and to revert One way of gaining more control over our products could be to track changes in the way our stuff works. This is what Alison calls "auditability". What happens if a product or service changes so much that you no longer want it? Shouldn't you have the right to say 'I don't want this anymore'? As an example, we talk about software in Android smartphones, where there is no way, unless you are very technically confident and skilled, to go back to the old version after accepting an update. Alison suggests that a 'right to revert' could also be part of our set of rights to repair. Discussing security Part of Alison's work is focused on the design of Internet-connected devices, through the Virt-EU project. From her conversations with developers, she highlights the tension in balancing openness and security when designing consumer technology. Closed systems can be more efficient and more resistant to security threats, however, they can enhance the information asymmetries that limit our right(s) to repair. As an example, we talk about Apple's controversial T2 chip, which could contain a 'kill switch', disabling devices repaired by third parties. Without discounting the challenges of security in our increasingly networked world, Powell maintains that security features cannot be an excuse to hold excessive control over the devices we use. She pushes us not only to demand autonomy to decide how we might tinker with or repair our products, but to seek out gaps in the market and opportunities that this autonomy can create.

Restart Radio: New Right to Repair rules, broken down by a pro Feb 15, 2019

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In December and January, European member states approved groundbreaking measures which ensured that appliances (dishwashers, fridges, and washing machines) become more repairable. But as always, the devil is in the detail. After much celebration and fanfare about the new European regulations guaranteeing some "right to repair" for consumers, we needed to chat with Steve the Spindoctor. Steve runs solo business in South London, tirelessly saving appliances from the shredder. He is a consummate professional and his work is relentless. He has little time for BS and he understands every angle of running a professional repair business. The new ecodesign regulations have professional repairers as their intended targets: they call for manufacturers to provide spare parts and repair documentation to professionals. It all sounds so good. But our interview with Steve feels like a tour of terrible caveats. Steve confirms that sealed drums - and the "bundling" of drums and ball bearings - is the main reason washing machines are not fixable. The regulation does nothing to fix this. And a similar problem is arising with the heating systems on dish washers. Generally speaking, the cost of spare parts is the main obstacle to many repairs. We ask about software and circuit boards, as pros will have increased access to both. But access to software powering these appliances is no real revolution for Steve. And what about guaranteed access to spare printed circuit boards within 15 working days for pros? Without a warranty on these, and quicker access to them, this is no game-changer for the Spindoctor. As he asks, what family can wait 15 working days for their washing machine to be fixed? On the bright side, design for disassembly is indeed a major win for Steve. He hopes it will reduce his time opening up machines, and thereby make more repairs viable. He also hopes that this public interest will lead people to maintain and care for their appliances better.

Restart Podcast Ep. 38: Inspiring repair with Jane, inventor and founder of Sugru Jan 24, 2019

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We've always been inspired by the tenacity of Jane, who is the 'inventor, founder and fixer in Chief' at Sugru, the mouldable glue company. We interview her about design within the throwaway economy and about the growth of the repair movement. In this episode, you will also hear from Restart Party goers, who share their thoughts on Sugru and discuss the importance of creativity when fixing. First, Jane tells us about the origin of Sugru. It all started when she was a design student, trying to find alternatives to creating just another 'sexy new product' for consumers. Playing with materials in the lab, she describes the time she came up with what would become Sugru: a mouldable glue that helped her fix and hack all kinds of objects. This material is initially like playdough or putty — it can be formed into any shape, but then overnight it turns into a tough, durable silicon rubber. Jane takes us on a tour around the Sugru HQ in Hackney, East London, where everything from the manufacturing and packaging to the admin or the creative work of the company takes place. (Sugru, or FormFormForm Ltd, was acquired last year by German company Tesa but remains in London, with Jane as Director.) With Sugru, Jane encourages people to have a go at fixing, and to express their creativity hacking and repurposing what they own. In her very words: "Making those moments happen for somebody who would say ‘I am not a fixer, I could never do that’ to ‘Maybe I could do that’ and then can fix their shoes or their grandma’s wedding ring… It is all about making those moments happen." Next, we discuss how Jane perceives her role within a growing, global repair movement. She explains how different organisations need to cooperate, as there are various parts to play, from inspiring or teaching to campaigning for our right to repair. The repair culture is both old and new - it was the 'Make, Do and Mend' slogan during the WWII, when people repaired due to limited resources, and it is also the more recent frustration with the short lifespan of our products, from our clothes to our smartphones. With Jane, we embrace repair culture while we emphasise the simultaneous need for system change. This will take time and collective efforts by activists repairing in their communities, companies like Sugru, as well as legislators forcing manufacturers to make products easier to repair. Lastly, we ask about the importance of "celebrities" for the repair movement. Jane stresses the need to be inspired, and the value of authenticity in people's stories. "I don't know what a celebrity means, but we definitely need people to inspire us."

Restart Radio: Popular, planet-saving right to repair Jan 10, 2019

Show notes

We interview Libby Peake, Senior policy adviser at Green Alliance. We talk about the public interest in more repairable products, and we discuss the current policy debates affecting our right to repair in Europe and the UK. First, we discuss some news. Apple is worried about the decline in iPhone sales: the company has reported to investors that this is partly due to users repairing and maintaining their current models. We also mention the recent controversy over 'Veganuary' with the new vegan sausage roll at Greggs, which could face a backlash against environmental awareness. Next, we comment on the current European vote on design measures for dishwashers and washing machines. As Libby highlights, previously related measures around so-called 'ecodesign' have normally focused on energy efficiency, looking at how much energy products consume, rather than how long they last. This legislation is now shifting to also include product efficiency, that is, design changes that improve durability, repairability, recyclability and product composition. This shift can raise product standards, and it pushes us to look at efficiency over the whole of a product's lifecycle. Citizens are asking for products that last longer, and this is clear in the Green Alliance's recent report 'By popular demand'. Libby tells us about this research, which resulted from several workshops and an extensive poll with over 1000 people in the UK. Almost all respondents welcomed a better use of resources in our economy. The most supported initiative was to improve product design, and this included making things more modular so that they can be easier to repair! Then, we talk about the need to keep pushing environmental legislation to prioritise product repairability. Our stuff should be designed to be easier to disassemble and repair, and everyone - not just professionals - should have access to spare parts. We also talk about the new UK Waste Strategy, the first one in more than 10 years. We find it ambitious and focused on the 3 Rs (not just recycling!). It defends an extended responsibility for manufacturers to watch their products lifecycle. However, we miss more details on how this high-level strategy will be implemented. Finally, we share how we would like to see a scenario where our right to repair could benefit both companies and consumers. Policymakers need to guide manufacturers to ensure sustainable technology, as it happened for instance with the harmonisation of phone chargers driven by the European Commission.

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