In this newsletter…
This month's theme is Repair, the Environment and Education.
Introducing “Notes from the Field”, a rich new resource to complement the Educator Resource Library.
Announcing two grants, new resources in the Educator Resource Library, and more!
Mending the Earth
Image Source: "A Stitch in Time", written by Himadri Das and Veena Prasad. Illustration by Ankitha Kini © Pratham Books. (full credit)
Repair ~ Environment ~ Education
“The greenest phone is the one already in your pocket.”
We know this, and we know why.
It's not new news that repair reduces the devastation consumerism wrecks on the Earth. Waste authorities have supported repair initiatives for years. From ReLondon supporting London Repairs and the Restart Project, to Stopwaste supporting Fixit Clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area, to Sustainability Victoria, Australia supporting regional Repair Cafés, to umpteen other examples around the world.
What IS new news is that another public authority is increasingly engaging with repair.
School districts are incorporating repair into their Climate Literacy programs, positioning repair as a core component of environmental education.
Repair is a powerful teaching tool, and a pillar of environmental care. Integrating repair into education is a no-brainer.
We’re excited to introduce “Notes from the Field”, a new series of posts from educators and repair advocates who are putting repair at the heart of their teaching and organizing.
These accounts offer insights into what it looks like to teach repair in real-world contexts – from classrooms and makerspaces, to libraries, community centers, and beyond. We invite you to dive in, get inspired, and share your thoughts.
This month we will hear from three California, USA educators about how teaching about repair is a key strategy for implementing their visions of educating students about the environment.
Gloria Harwood, Laguna Beach Unified School District's Coordinator of Environmental Literacy
Gloria writes about hosting Fix It Fests during STEAM class, integrating repair with environmental issues through research, instructional, and hands-on learning, supported by community volunteers.
Ellen McClure, Berkeley Unified School District's Climate Literacy Coordinator
Ellen writes about a two-part program integrating repair into the middle-school STEM / Makerspace curriculum and hosting community repair events.
Emily Wanous, Engagement Director for Algalita Marine Research and Education
Algalita’s mission is to eliminate plastic pollution through education and research. Emily writes about how the organization has integrated repair into their in-class and afterschool programming.
Go to “Notes from the Field” to learn about why and how these educators are introducing repair into their respective programs.
Each month going forward you'll hear from other people doing fantastic work with repair in educational settings. Check back regularly to learn about their visions, strategies and tactics. It's super informative and inspiring.
Know someone who’s championing repair education in your community?
We’re actively seeking contributors, including community repair advocates, whose work centers integrating repair into educational programs and core curricula, and into climate action through teaching repair to our youth.
New Grants!
The first is to Berkeley Unified School District’s Climate Literacy Initiative and Middle School Makerspace Program. The grant will support extending last year’s 7th grade program to 8th grade classes, hosting community repair events, and publishing teaching resources. Learn more in Ellen McClure’s Note.
The second supports Algalita Marine Research and Education. The organization will bring repair into schools and publish teaching resources in the 2025/2026 academic year. This initiative includes understanding repair within social and economic contexts, hands-on learning, and students reflecting on the implications of their actions on the environment. Learn more in Emily Wanous’s Note.
New Resources!
"A Stitch In Time"
Volunteers from Repair Café Collective India and Repair Café Bangalore Foundation created and illustrated this storybook for 9 - 11 year-old children, focused on the values of repair and reuse.
“A Stitch In Time”, published and made freely available by Pratham Books, is an excellent example of how repair can be integrated into core curriculum.
"Mend Don’t Spend" Teen Mending Workshop
Rediscover Center designed this teen-focused mending and clothing mods workshop for use by libraries, schools, community centers and similar organizations. The workshop draws on young people’s love of fashion, creativity, and self-expression to get them excited about sewing and mending, and engaged with sustainability. “Mend Don’t Spend”
The Culture of Repair supported securing funding for this project.
Illustration by Ankitha Kini © Pratham Books. (Full credit)
Have you used the Repair Educator Resource Library?
Let us know! Your stories and feedback help us grow and shape the tools we share.
We invite you to let us know about candidate additions to the Library. Alternatively, if you need funding to support developing your own resource, check out the Grants page.
Save the date!
We’re excited to share the Restart Project’s recent announcement:
FixFest 2025 will be held in London, UK, September 4-7!
It's always a brilliant gathering of repair advocates from around the world.