18th October International Repair Day; World Op Shop Day

Today is International Repair Day, which falls every year on the third Saturday of October. This global event aims to motivate people to attempt to fix something themselves or drop by a local shop and get their broken devices fixed. In addition, it promotes a community mindset by encouraging individuals to share their repair skills, inspire others to get involved, and organise repair events all over the world.

There are many benefits to repairing something rather than replacing.  One is that you are doing your part to alleviate the global landfill crisis. Every year, people throughout the world produce billions of tons of landfill waste. This is projected to increase to 2.2 billion tons by 2025. All of this garbage in the landfills is not good for the environment. Overflowing landfills cause greenhouse gas pollution and groundwater pollution. When the waste is transferred from one location to another, it also causes carbon emissions.

The Repair Shop is a popular television show in the UK and it has a series of picture books that promote their ideals.

In Australia, it is also the inaugural World Op Shop Day. World Op Shop Day is more than just a celebration; it's a call to action. Op shops play a crucial role in reducing waste, supporting those in need, and funding essential community and welfare programs. Every month, Salvos Stores help divert millions of items from landfill, contributing back literal tonnes of textiles, electronics, and home goods into the circular economy.

The concept of op shops, or "opportunity shops," has been around for over a century in Australia and is increasing in popularity as a shopping destination. They are also a good place to look for good quality second hand books.

Look for some of these books in your library: