Our Business is Yours Your success is our success—and the success of our entire region! Our mission and purpose is clear: We support businesses of all types and sizes in succeeding and thriving throughout our region. Dr. Laura Armstrong and James Armstrong, Co-Founders of Alberta Eye Care interest in the problem of electronic waste. Electronics aren’t easy to recycle, and if disposed of in trash, they can leach toxic metals like mercury, lead and cadmium into soil and water. OSPIRG estimates that Oregonians dispose of about 4,800 cell phones every day, and that 85% of the energy and climate impact of cellphones is from the manufacturing process. So prolonging the life cycle of cellphones—not to mention computers and tablets — stands to have a real environmental impact. Since the passage of Oregon’s bill, Colorado has passed a Right to Repair law that also includes language prohibiting parts pairing — and includes language specifically mentioning wheelchairs and farm equipment, which are increasingly subject to similar restrictions on repairs. Oregon’s law includes some exceptions: It doesn’t apply to video- game consoles, medical devices, HVAC systems, devices powered by combustion engines and energy- storage systems. In addition to fixing computers, Gibbs refurbishes and sells used computers and recycles them — it’s the best way to teach interns how computers are built, he says — and is hopeful that the recent wave of legislation will impact not just the way electronics can be fixed but the way they’re made. “It’s definitely nice to have something that’s on our side rather than having to figure it out on our own,” Gibbs says. “I really hope it improves the relationship between repairers and manufacturers.” Rigoberto Martinez, the threeyear employee of BrainWave who asked Gibbs a question about PlayStation controllers, told Oregon Business he was a strong supporter of Right to Repair and a climate activist. He’s hopeful that the law will make it easier for do-it-yourselfers to access the right documentation, and to keep products out of landfills and recycling facilities for longer periods. “If we can’t reduce, then at least reuse,” Martinez says. Godin says the new law is a win for just about everybody. “It’s better for the consumer, better for the environment,” Godin says. “The only people it doesn’t benefit are shareholders of the [big tech] companies — and I’m sure they’ll be fine.” An iPhone logic board at Hyperion Computerworks in Southwest Portland 32
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==