Did you know that, in Australia, over AUD $28.3 billion is thrown away every year from replacing household items instead of repairing them? That's enough for 6 Curiosity Rover missions or 13 Burj Khalifas!
To tackle waste management in Cape York, we created the concept of a general repair shop that will help to repair vehicles, appliances and other household goods within the area. It will include an educational facility with collaborative spaces to teach and discuss with the community the importance of repairing goods along with some basic maintenance skills. Additionally, we aim to raise awareness of environmental damage caused by household waste, through the trade of recycled beach waste merchandise made locally at each repair shop.
The repair shop will consist of two sections:
The first is a large space for repairs as well as areas for storage and inventory. There will be a designated area where vehicles are brought in to be repaired as well as areas for appliances and furniture. Each area will have suitable equipment to tackle the appropriate tasks.
The second is an educational facility that will have one large hall and two smaller rooms. Each room has furniture arranged and designed to encourage a collaborative atmosphere, such as innovative desks that allow individuals to speak and work together effortlessly. Outside there will be a sheltered recycling area where unrepairable goods and general recycling can be discarded by the community. This recycling will be processed into plastic pellets and used for bracelets which will be sold at the gift shop on site.
There will be a significant upfront cost for setting up the space, estimated to be around £350,000-£500,000. Expense costs per annum come to £170,000, considering wages, inventory, maintenance and miscellaneous costs. Revenue per annum comes to £215,000, mainly from repairs, product sales and workshop sessions. The project will greatly appreciate sponsors and investors to kickstart the project and keep repair costs low for the residents, to further encourage and attract the repairs of items over buying new products.
As 60% of the population of Cape York are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the project will be inclusive for all residents of Cape York as the project development will work closely with local businesses and the community to build a repair shop that meets their needs. The locals will be trained and manage the shops to ensure the longevity of the project which provides long-term jobs for the community.
With the hopeful success of a first trial centre in Cooktown, we plan to expand our services to the rest of the peninsula, with mobile repair vans to reach the more rural areas or to repair hard-to-transport items.
By Repairing the damaged goods from the surrounding community in our workshop, Preserving the beaches of Cape York, preventing further harm from being done to the environment, and Educating the Cape York community on repairing. We can make a significant difference in the community, improving the quality of life for both the people who live there and the nature around them.
Thank you so much for reading! Please consider voting for us here: https://www.efp-uk22.crowdsolve.net/ (Team UK2022-023 - Repair Services for Cape York)
For any questions please comment down below, or email us at hdu21@sheffield.ac.uk!
Team Members:
@Will Du @Howell Cole @Lewis Evans @Donna Xu
Thanks again, and have a great day! 😊
#CapeYork #EWB #RepairDontReplace #TUoS #Waste #Sustainability #Community #RepairService