In the old days, when something broke or wore out, people fixed it.// These days, we just buy a new one.// My grandmother sewed patches on her husband’s old trousers.// My grandparents’ record player lasted fifty years.// Today, we replace our smartphones every five years.// The result of this throw-it-out-and-buy-a-new-one mentality is huge piles of trash all over the world.// Even in the oceans.// Why do we do this?// For one thing, we are lazy.// It is easier to replace than to repair.// Manufacturers are also at fault.// They don’t want you to fix their products.// They make more money if you buy a new one.// What can be done about the global trash problem?// As individuals, we can change our buying habits and learn to repair rather than replace.// We don’t have to sew patches on our worn-out jeans, but we can use our smartphones a year or two longer and learn to repair simple devices.// But what can we do collectively?// You’ll read about that in this lesson.//