Being more eco-friendly: eight household items you can mend rather than replace

Many people are finally starting to realize that taking care of the environment is a necessity rather than an option and being more eco-friendly is our ONLY option.

The world needs every one of us to think about our actions and make significant changes to ensure that we play our part in ensuring there is still a world in which our grandchildren and great-grandchildren can live, learn and grow.

Today, we bring you # household items that you can mend rather than replace instead of discarding and buying new once more.

Being more eco-friendly by fixing a broken ceramic pot instead of throwing it out

Ceramics

If you act soon after breaking a ceramic plate, bowl or vase, it can be repaired to a high standard. Good quality glue is imperative, but you should also moisten the edges to bond better if the ceramic is porous.

Be very gentle when you are reassembling the item because, as you have already discovered, they are delicate things, prone to further damage.

However, it is also essential that you work quickly as the glue will start to bond almost immediately.

While you are waiting for the item to fully dry, holding it in place is not an option for the average person.

Try using a piece of modeling clay to keep it together, then remove after a minimum of an hour’s drying time.

Being more eco-friendly by fixing soft toys that have lost their stuffing instead of throwing them out

Soft toys

It can be so disappointing for young children when a favorite toy loses its plumpness or develops holes.

Rather than throwing out and replacing, it can be possible to get them back to their former glory, albeit with a scar or two.

If the toy has a label, it may be easy to take out the stitching in that location and add some more stuffing, making it look more like its old shape once more.

Be sure to sew neatly to avoid any unnecessary loose thread that could easily be picked at, possibly leaving you in the same place you started.

As for small holes, it all depends on the fabric the soft toy is made from.

However, using little stitches in a similar color to the material could at least prevent the teddy from deteriorating further.

Backpacks

Bags look like they’d be really tricky things to repair, don’t they?

However, it might not be as challenging as it seems.

You can usually pick up replacement parts at reasonable prices, such as cord stoppers and buckles.

Of course, you will need to spend a little time working out your plan of attack.

YouTube videos are a great source of tutorials for a variety of things linked to the culture of repairing items rather than throwing them out.

For holes in the lining, any scraps of similar material can be used to stop losing items easily.

It’s trickier to make something look neater on the outside.

This is when patches can become both attractive and functional.

Being more eco-friendly by fixing a broken screen on an iPhone instead of disposing it

Phones and Tablets

It can be tempting to upgrade your cell phone contract rather than replace it when it’s looking a bit shabby.

For example, the battery life might have deteriorated, or the screen may be scratched and smashed.

Appearances can be deceptive, though.

Usually, the superficial damage can be fixed relatively easily, quickly, and with little cost to you.

Check out repairs at a phone shop.

Once you have had them replaced, be sure to invest in a decent screen protector and case to stop history from repeating itself.

These usually prevent serious damage. 

For batteries, check out the cost of having it replaced.

This can often be cheaper, and always much better for the environment, than chucking it away.

It is always useful to check that the charging issues are not related to the charger though as sometimes, it is not the battery after all.

When it comes to tablets, be sure to check out repair costs, as advised with cell phones, too.

And always, invest in a decent case for it, especially if children are going to be using the technology.

Shoes and boots

Although there are only a select few people who are able to mend their own shoes or boots, it is certainly not something you ought to dismiss.

Rather than throwing away a pair that may simply need a new insole adding, look again and decide whether a simple tweak could make them as good as new again.

The same goes for the soles and heels.

Many cobblers will mend them for a fraction of the cost of buying a new pair.

Furthermore, it prevents fixable items from going to landfill.

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