Talleres: Consumption and Sustainability

By: Rayna Weiss (Arena)

Sometimes I find myself wishing that I lived back in the days when repair shops were common; if you broke the heal off your shoe you would get it mended instead of buying a new pair of Prada heels. These shops that used to be so common in the United States are rapidly being replaced with Urban Outfitters and drive-thru Starbucks.

Luckily, I have found myself in a culture which still values maintaining ones belongings. In Spanish, the word for repair shop is taller. You would not believe how many talleres there are down a typical Ecuadorian street. There are talleres for everything from shoes to motorcycles. They are on every street corner, in every neighborhood, and in every town. If your local handyman doesn’t have the right piece to fix your prized household blender, don’t worry, he’ll find something to make it work.

I had a conversation with a hotel owner in Saraguro, Ecuador about this particular phenomenon. He, Marcelo, explained to me that Ecuadorians are very conscious of their belongings. They will keep a pair of jeans until they absolutely cannot be mended any longer. Their Toyotas and Chevy Luv’s are 20 to 30 years old and run like they did 10 years ago.

I explained to Marcelo that many folks in the US just buy a new product when their existing product breaks. Not only do our devices break often, but also they are built to break or be thrown away after one use. He explained that only rich people in Ecuador behave in this manner.

Something I have not seen in Ecuador are disposable cleaning products such as the Swiffer WetJet or Clorox cleansing wipes, items that are sold en masse in grocery stores in the US.

I said that I was ashamed of our throwaway mentality because it is an example of excessive consumption for which the US has become famous. He understood my disgust and described the contrasting lifestyles of the Saraguro communities that surround the city.

The Saraguro are indigenous people for whom the town of Saraguro was named. They maintain their traditional lifestyle by living more simply than we are accustomed. Their land has been handed down through the generations and they practice subsistence farming. They have jobs in the town but because of a paucity of expenses, they commonly have a comfortable salary and an advanced education. They make and mend their own clothes, eat food that comes from their farms, and share vehicles.

Marcelo and I gazed at the view from the hotel: gorgeous mountains, the sunset, and Saraguros returning from the city to their communities. I imagined how the world would be different if more people shared the Saraguro’s mentality.

1. How does consumption play a part in sustainability?

2. Are there ways that we can control our consumption to help increase sustainability?

3. Do you think the Saraguros are sacrificing comfort in their way of living?