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Lawmakers argue consumers should have the ability to fix and modify their own purchased products without restrictions from the manufacturer.
The “right to repair” movement is gaining traction around the country. Four states have passed laws that require manufacturers to make it easier for consumers to repair their devices – a cracked screen, broken phone camera, or busted laptop. There’s legislation in New Jersey, Delaware and a bill in the Pennsylvania Senate, and another in the House. Advocates of these laws say they save consumers money, save the planet from tons of e-waste, and support small local businesses. Joining us to talk about efforts to make tech more fixable are Surera Ward, founder and owner of Girls Fix It, a local tech repair shop, Nathan Proctor, who leads the Public Interest Research Group’s Right to Repair Campaign, and Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-Lackawanna) who tries to introduce a bill to the Pennsylvania State House.
Philadelphia author and podcaster Jo Piazza has a brand new novel out today, The Sicilian Inheritance. It’s set in Sicily with a backdrop of delicious food, incredible landscapes, family secrets, and murder. The spark for the story – the murder mystery part — comes from her own family history, the mysterious death of her great-great grandmother Lorenza. In fact, after finishing her novel, Piazza set off to Sicily to investigate Lorenza’s death and has turned it into a true-crime podcast also called The Sicilian Inheritance. Piazza joins us to talk about her novel, the fictional and real-life murder mysteries, and her other popular podcast, “Under the Influence,” about mommy influencers.