Electronic retailer 'Second life' debuts in Riga, Latvia
In the heart of Riga, Latvia, lies the repair shop of Eco Baltia vide, located at 240 Latgales Street. This innovative shop is making waves in the fight against waste by repairing discarded appliances, thereby extending their lifespan and preventing premature disposal.
Eco Baltia vide, a part of the largest environmental and waste management group in the Baltics, has repaired over 1,200 items so far. These repairs not only help decrease the volume of electronic waste but also conserve resources that would otherwise be used to manufacture new appliances.
The top four items brought to Eco Baltia vide for repair are washing machines, TVs, fridges, and small household appliances. Dagnis Zviedris, a master electrician at the shop, emphasizes the need to monitor the flow of electrical waste in Latvia. He also notes that public authorities in Latvia are disposing of items that should not be thrown away.
Jānis Aizbalts, Chairman of the Board of Eco Baltia vide SIA, states that small household appliances are often easy to repair. However, Dagnis Zviedris emphasizes the importance of knowing physics at least at the high school level when repairing electrical equipment.
The shop, by promoting repair and recycling, is contributing to the goal of reducing electrical waste in Latvia. This aligns with Eco Baltia's known activities in environmental management and waste reduction in the Riga region and beyond.
Andris Ķēniņş, Director General of the State Environmental Service, concludes that a change in attitudes towards things will lead to a decrease in resource consumption and waste, as items will go into recycling. This change is evident in the growing interest in the repair shop, which serves as an experiment to determine what appliances can be repaired and how easily.
In addition to repairing appliances, the shop, known as "Lab!", also sells clothes, design items, and repaired electrical appliances. This shop opening is part of a larger initiative to change public attitudes towards resource consumption and waste generation. Resource saving and reducing waste generation are identified as areas that need improvement.
To further this initiative, master classes will be set up to train those interested in repairing electrical appliances. This move encourages a culture of repair and reuse, which is essential for a sustainable future. By choosing to repair rather than replace, we can all contribute to waste reduction and resource conservation.
- The innovative repair shop, Eco Baltia vide, located in Latgales Street, Latvia, is a part of the LSM (Latvian Society of Environmental Management) and is significantly impacting society by reducing electronic waste and conserving resources.
- In the home-and-garden sector, Eco Baltia vide, a shop in Latvia, has shown that small household appliances are often easy to repair, aligning with the environmental-science principles of resource saving and waste reduction.
- The media has been highlighting the packed repair schedule at the "Lab!" shop, a part of Eco Baltia vide, as a growing trend in Latvia, showing a potential shift in public attitudes towards lifestyle choices that promote resource conservation and waste reduction.
- The shop, Eco Baltia vide, in the heart of Riga, Latvia, isn't just a home-and-garden store; it also provides educational resources through master classes, encouraging a culture of repair and reuse in line with the sustainable development goals of reducing waste and conserving resources.
