You Deserve the Right to Repair Your Stuff | Gay Gordan-Byrne | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yi-Ping Cho (Marssi)

I am a repair geek.

我是修理怪咖。

I grew up fixing things with my dad; it was what we did.

我成長過程都在和我爸爸一起 修東西；那是我們做的事。

We fixed our TV, we fixed our refrigerator,

我們修好了我們的電視， 我們修好了我們的冰箱，

we fixed stuff that didn't need fixing.

我們修好了不需要修的東西。

We fixed our Volkswagen Beetle.

我們修好了我們的福斯金龜車。

In our home,

在我們家，如果有東西壞了，

if something broke, we took it as an opportunity to have fun.

我們會把它當作是開心玩玩的機會。

We loved the idea and the challenge of bringing things back to life.

我們喜歡的想法和挑戰 就是「讓東西活過來」。

And I still love that feeling,

我仍然很愛那種感覺，

which to me is just thrilling.

對我來說，那是種很興奮的感覺。

I did it recently.

我最近就有修東西， 我的筆記型電腦過熱，

My laptop was overheating,

I thought it might be the fan,

我認為問題可能出在風扇， 就訂了一個風扇，把它裝進去，

I ordered a fan,

I put the fan in, I turned it on,

開啟電源，風扇就「咻～」， 而我就：「好啊！

and the fan went "whir"

like, “Yes! That really worked.”

真的成功了。」

It was a great feeling.

那是很棒的感覺。

Now I know this kind of repair probably sounds very old-fashioned,

我知道這種修理聽起來非常老派，

and I probably look a little old-fashioned,

我看起來可能也很老派，但，

but it's much more than saving money.

修理遠不只是省錢而已。

It's how we keep the things that we like in use.

是我們如何讓我們喜歡的東西 能繼續使用下去。

It helps us keep things out of the trash.

這樣能讓我們少一點垃圾。

It helps bring jobs into our communities,

這樣能協助將工作機會 帶到我們的社區中，

and it can help solve the digital divide.

也能協助解決數位落差的問題。

Now, since 2013, I've been the executive director

從 2013 年起，我就擔任

「數位修理權聯盟」的執行長，

of the Digital Right to Repair Coalition,

otherwise known as repair.org.

另一個名稱是 repair.org。

Our members do all the Rs:

我們的成員會做所有的「R」：

We repair, we reuse, we resell and we recycle.

我們會修理 (repair)、再利用 (reuse)、 轉售 (resell)、回收 (recycle)。

And in doing this work, I've come to realize

做這份工作讓我漸漸了解到，

that repair is right now central

現在，修理對我們所有的永續目標來說

to all of our sustainability goals.

都很重要。

If we can fix our stuff a little more frequently, keep it in use,

如果我們能更常去修理我們的東西，

讓它們能繼續使用， 不要進入廢棄物流的前端，

we're keeping it out of the front of the waste stream at the front end.

從前端做起，

So we'll have less to process at the back end.

後端要處理的量就會變少。

If we are going to have any control over our e-waste problem,

如果我們要設法控制 我們的電子廢棄物問題，

we have to talk about repair.

就得要來談談修理。

Let me give you a sense of scale.

至於規模，讓我給大家一個概念。

Back in 2013,

2013 年時，

the EPA estimated that the average US household

國家環境保護局估計， 一般的美國家庭

already owned 28 digitally-driven gizmos and gadgets.

就已經擁有二十八個 數位驅動的小玩意兒了。

It was everything from garage-door openers

範圍從

車庫門開關、按摩浴缸控制器 到智慧型烤吐司機。

and hot tub controls to smart toasters.

If we just do a little math and multiply

只要計算一下，把二十八乘以

28 times are roughly 123 million households,

大約一億兩千三百萬個家庭，

we come up with a pretty staggering

就會得到很驚人的

three and a half billion pieces of e-waste

三十五億件電子廢棄物，

that don't belong in our landfills,

這些東西不能進掩埋場，

and they are costly

要還原成原料的成本很高也很難，

and difficult to put back as raw materials

if those processes even exist.

且可能根本沒有這種還原流程。

When we look a little more closely at what's even possible with recycling,

如果我們更仔細地研究一下 回收的可能性，我想，

I think we've been ignoring some really ugly truths.

我們一直在忽略一些很醜陋的真相。

By the time a laptop or a refrigerator

當筆記型電腦， 或冰箱，或甚至電動牙刷

or even an electric toothbrush gets in our hands,

到我們手上時，

almost all of the environmental damage has already been done.

幾乎所有的環境損害都已經造成了。

All the costs of mining and refining and smelting and transportation.

所有採礦、精鍊、熔煉， 以及運輸的成本。

And we don't see these costs when we go to the store,

我們去店家裡時，看不見這些成本，

and we don't see the human costs of terrible labor conditions

我們也看不到人付出的成本代價，

包括工人糟糕的工作條件，

and exposure to toxic materials.

以及他們會接觸到有毒物質。

So even if we can't agree on how to calculate these costs,

所以，就算我們在如何計算 這些成本上無法取得共識，

I think we can agree that fixing more and throwing away less just makes sense.

我想我們都能認同，

多修理一些，少丟棄一些

是很合理的。

There's a lot of other advantages of repairing things

修理東西還有其他的益處， 不只是很明顯的這些。

other than just the obvious.

Repair is what lets us keep our older devices in use,

修理能讓我們繼續使用 比較老舊的裝置，

and it allows a secondary market for the products that we want to resell.

也能發展出二手市場， 讓我們轉售產品。

And secondary markets are why used equipment is so affordable

而二手市場就是為什麼 二手設備如此平價的原因，

because the used seller has to compete with new.

因為二手產品的賣家 要和新產品競爭。

So if a new gadget is 1,000 dollars,

如果某個新玩意兒要價一千美金，

we expect a pretty big discount to buy that same item used.

若要買同樣的二手產品， 我們會預期拿到很大的折扣。

Let's start with 50 percent.

至少要有五折。

So now we have an affordability capability

這樣就有可負擔性了，

這對於解決數位落差問題相當重要。

that is central to crossing the digital divide.

We had five million students that went to virtual school this past year

去年，有五百萬名學生 在虛擬學校上課，

that didn't have enabling technology.

這些學校沒有致能技術。

And that's because parents and school districts couldn't buy new.

那是因為父母和學區無法買新的。

We still have a lot of chip shortages,

現在晶片仍然嚴重短缺，

and these are going to be with us for a while.

且問題還會持續一段時間。

我認為我們應該 嚴肅看待多修理這件事，

And I think we have to think very seriously about doing more repair,

not just to make things last longer

不只是要讓東西的壽命延長，

but also to be more resilient as an economy.

也讓整體經濟的復元能力更好。

Repair is also a point of entry for a lot of our engineers and innovators.

修理，也是許多工程師 和創新家的起始點。

I heard Steve Wozniak speak very recently --

沒多久前我才聽 史帝夫‧沃茲尼克說——

Apple Steve Wozniak --

蘋果的史帝夫‧沃茲尼克——

He spoke very recently about his growth and development

他不久前談到他的成長和發展，

at a time when he was repairing things as a kid.

就說到他兒時修理東西的經歷，

And it was central to his development as an engineer.

對他身為工程師的 發展過程十分重要。

He grew up pretty much the same time I did,

他成長的時期和我差不多，

where repairs were very ordinary.

那時，修理是很常見的事。

Consumers were empowered to take their vacuum tubes to the local store,

消費者被賦予權力 把他們的真空管帶到當地的店裡，

plug them in and see if they work

接上電源，看能不能用，

and then buy a replacement on the spot.

並當下就購買替換用的真空管。

And there were lots of options for repair within the community

社區裡有很多修東西的店家，

to help with the more difficult challenges.

可以協助處理比較困難的問題。

I think you've probably noticed

我想，各位可能有注意到， 在我們的社區裡已經看不見

that these mom and pop businesses disappeared

or all but disappeared in our communities.

或幾乎看不見這種 夫妻經營的小事業了。

And it’s not because we don’t want to fix our stuff,

原因並不是因為 我們不想修理我們的東西，

it's because they were not allowed to buy the essential repair materials

而是因為他們無法買到

他們持續經營所需要的修理材料。

that enabled them to stay in business.

So if we can back that back

如果我們能把這一點還原回來，

and make it possible for our local repair shops

讓我們當地的修理店能夠

to buy parts and tools,

買到零件和工具，

then those businesses will come back

那些事業就會復活，

and they will bring back with them jobs that feed families.

也會帶回工作機會，協助養家糊口。

And our nerdy kids will be able to open things up,

我們的宅小孩就能把東西拆開，

figure out how they work

搞懂它們是怎麼運作的，

and become the engineers and innovators of our future.

成為我們未來的工程師和創新家。

Repair jobs, which I mentioned,

我剛才提到的修理職，

they’re great jobs,

都是好工作，

and they don't require an advanced degree.

且不需要有研究所以上的學位。

I'll give you an example.

讓我舉個例子。

There's a charity in Minnesota called Tech Dump,

在明尼蘇達有一個慈善機構 叫做「科技垃圾場」，

and they take in donated electronics,

他們接收捐贈的電子產品，

and then they hire adults that are hard to employ,

並且僱用很難進入職場的成人，

many of whom coming out of the criminal justice system.

許多人是剛從刑事 司法系統出來的人。

They train them to make repairs.

他們訓練這些人做維修。

They then take the repaired goods,

接著，他們把修好的商品拿去賣，

sell them and use the proceeds to fund more training.

用收益來做更多的訓練。

They’re keeping equipment out of the waste stream;

他們讓設備不必進入廢棄物流；

they’re bringing good-quality equipment to their community in a used format;

他們把品質良好的二手設備 帶給他們的社區；

and they are bringing people out of poverty and into the workforce.

他們也讓窮人能 脫離貧窮，成為勞工。

What's really got me irritated

讓我真的很不爽的一點，

(Laughs)

（笑）

is that at this point,

就是，此時，

the vast majority of products on the market today

現今市場上的大部分產品

cannot be repaired by any party

都只能交由完全依附

without being totally dependent on the manufacturer.

製造商的廠商來修理。

And the day the manufacturer decides they don't want you to fix it,

如果有一天，製造商決定 不想讓你去修理產品，

it's over.

就玩完了。

This is a completely artificial problem.

這完全是人造的問題。

Manufacturers used to provide comprehensive documentation

以前，製造商會提供 完整的文件和圖表，

and schematics and shipped it with every product.

附在所有產品中。

It was expected that you could fix your stuff.

你應該要會修你的東西。

Then once the internet allowed this documentation to be hosted online,

後來這類文件可以放到網路上，

manufacturers stopped printing,

製造商就不再印紙本了，

which made sense because printing was expensive.

這很合理，因為印刷很貴。

And then somewhere along the line, somebody said,

有天突然有人說：「啊，

"Ah, we need to know who's using our website."

我們得要知道誰在用我們的網站。」

So they demanded a login.

所以他們要求用戶要登入。

And then another bright light said,

接著，又有人靈機一動，說：

"Oh, we can charge."

「喔！我們可以收費。」

So they put up a paywall.

於是他們設置了付費牆。

And then a third bright light said,

接著，第三個人說：「我們 不能讓任何人擁有這些資訊。

"We can't let anybody have this information at all.

他們可能會和我們競爭。」

They might compete with us."

And that's where we are today.

於是我們就走到今天這一步了。

We can't get what we need to fix our stuff.

修東西所需要的，我們都無法取得。

Now, I can tell you because I've had a front-row seat,

我坐在前排搖滾區， 所以我可以告訴各位，

this trend towards a throwaway economy is reversing all over the world.

朝拋棄式經濟邁進的趨勢正在翻轉，

全世界皆是如此。

And it's really fun to be able to tell you about it.

能跟大家談這件事，是莫大的樂趣。

Back in 2014,

2014 年時，

we put forward our very first digital “Right to Repair” bill,

我們提出了最初的 數位「修理權」法案，

and that became the template for dozens of other bills.

此法已是其他數十項法案的樣板。

And this year, we've had 27 states take up the same legislation.

今年，有二十七州 起草了同樣的法律。

These bills are starting to pass.

這些法案開始通過。

There's been a lot of help from the Federal Trade Commission

很大一部分要歸功於

聯邦貿易委員會和拜登政府，

and also the Biden administration,

in saying we really, as a country,

他們協助表達，我們這個國家

need to be able to fix our stuff, and we need competition for repair.

需要有能力修理我們的東西， 我們也需要維修的競爭。

It's not just us.

不只是我們。

Canada and Australia have got similar processes underway.

加拿大和澳洲也都有 類似的訴訟在進行中。

The European Union has put forward a set of regulations that just took effect

歐盟也提出了一套條例， 不久前才生效，

that are limiting the use of adhesives in the construction of products

限制在製造產品時使用黏著劑，

because if you can't get into the thing,

因為如果你無法拆開一樣東西，

you can't fix the thing.

你就無法修理它。

France has yet another idea.

法國還有另一個點子。

They are requiring manufacturers to rate themselves on their repairability,

他們要求製造商為自己的 「可維修性」評分，

and then they are posting those scores for consumers to consider pre-purchase.

接著會把那些評分公佈出來， 讓消費者在購買之前做參考。

There are groups forming up all over the world

世界各地都成立了一些團體，

that help people repair stuff

協助大家修理東西，

even without government or regulatory change.

即使政府或法規都沒有改變。

You may have seen Repair Cafés advertised in your community.

你在你的社區中可能有看過 「維修咖啡館」的廣告。

That first Repair Café started in 2009 in Denmark.

2009 年，第一間 維修咖啡館在丹麥成立。

There are now over 2,000 official chapters.

現在有超過兩千家官方分館。

There are web sites, YouTube

也有網站、YouTube 頻道，

and a company called ifixit.com

以及一家叫做 ifixit.com 的公司，

that hosts tens of thousands of repair tutorials

提供成千上萬種維修教學，

to help people learn how to fix their stuff.

協助大家學習如何修理自己的東西。

Last year,

去年，

they recorded 116 million unique users on their website,

他們記錄到有一億一千六百萬名 不同的使用者造訪他們的網站。

so I think it's pretty clear people do want to fix their stuff.

所以，我想，很明顯， 大家確實想要修理他們的東西。

So I'm very encouraged by the fact that our throwaway economy,

所以，我們的拋棄式經濟趨勢

正在翻轉的事實讓我感到很振奮。

the trend is reversing.

And we are going to be able to fix our stuff.

我們將來就能修理我們的東西。

We're going to be able to use the things we want

我們將來就能用我們想要的方式 來使用我們想要的東西。

in the way that we want them.

We will be able to cross the digital divide,

我們將能解決數位落差的問題，

and we will have more jobs,

我們也會有更多工作機會，

and we will all get that great “Yes! I fixed it!” feeling.

我們也都會有那種 「好啊！我修好了！」的感覺。

So the next time something around you breaks,

所以，下次你身邊有東西壞掉了，

don't take "broken" for an answer.

別接受「壞了」這個答案。

Go fix something.

去修修看。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。