Repair, Reuse, Repeat: Supporting SDG 12 Through Maps

[K.K.Sharma]

Hi my fellow Local Guides!

In today’s fast-paced, throwaway culture, it’s easy to forget the value of repair. But as Local Guides, we can play a powerful role in changing that—by mapping and supporting small repair-based businesses that promote sustainability and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

---

My Contribution: A Mochi Shop in Meerut

During one of my recent solo Local Guides walks in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh, India), I discovered a humble mochi (cobbler) shop that has been quietly serving the local community for years. The cobbler was sitting outside his shop, focused on carefully stitching a worn-out shoe—and that image stayed with me.

Inspired by this moment and the idea of reducing waste, I decided to add the shop to Google Maps to make it easier for others to support his work and choose repair over replacement.

Mochi · Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

A small action—but part of a much larger movement to revive repair culture and map the services that help make our communities more sustainable.

Global Local Guides Promoting Repair Culture

I’ve also come across some amazing contributions by fellow Local Guides who have showcased the importance of repair-based micro-businesses:

Supporting Small Businesses: Mobile and Watch Repairing Shop – by @kumaarsantosh (January 2025)
A great initiative highlighting the relevance of service-based micro-enterprises in urban India.

Gandhi Cycle, Shoe and Key Repair Centre – by @ashkarzain (March 2019)
This post provides the exact location of a repair centre in Stockholm, Sweden. A Maps link would enhance its utility even more.The post could benefit from stronger community engagement.

How I Can Help to Users of Google Maps: Tyre Puncture Repairers – by @viralmvora (March 2019)
A unique and practical idea to map tyre puncture repair services—something truly useful, especially for bikers in unfamiliar areas.The post could benefit from stronger community engagement.

Having a haircut while waiting for your watch to be repaired in your neighborhood? – by @dinulescu26 (April 2019)
In this post, @dinulescu26 has rightly highlighted the importance of finding small neighborhood service businesses, such as tailoring services, clock/watch repair shops, or local hairdressers. I strongly believe these should be added to the map and actively promoted. Including Google Maps links in such posts would further enhance their usefulness.The post could benefit from stronger community engagement.

A Cobbler Repairing Shoes in the Historic City of Zhob, Baluchistan, Pakistan – by @asmat_kakar (December 2022)
A touching visual tribute to a cobbler keeping age-old traditions alive in a remote part of Pakistan. Including a Maps link and community responses could elevate this contribution further.

---

Why These Contributions Matter

Repair shops help reduce unnecessary consumption, extend the life of products, and support local craftsmanship and economic resilience. By adding these services to Google Maps, we can:

Make sustainable choices more accessible
Empower and support local workers
Preserve traditional skills and livelihoods
Promote the achievement of SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

---

Join the Movement

Let’s work together as Local Guides to:

Find and support repair shops in our areas
Add them to Google Maps
Write helpful reviews
Share photos to improve their visibility

Together, let’s map a more sustainable world—one repair shop at a time!

#LocalGuidesForSDG

[PrinceKumar]

Wow @K.K.Sharma , great initiative, and you have done a lot of research to find other local guides post about this, appreciate your efforts

[K.K.Sharma]

Thank you so much @PrinceKumar, for your kind words and encouragement! It means a lot. I strongly believe in learning from and uplifting each other’s contributions—together, we can make an even bigger impact through the Local Guides community!

[RaviSharma111]

What a truly inspiring post! It’s fantastic to see you championing the repair culture as a Local Guide, and your story about adding the mochi shop in Meerut to Google Maps perfectly encapsulates the spirit of responsible consumption and production. That image of the cobbler carefully stitching a worn-out shoe really does speak volumes about the value of skilled hands and sustainable practices.
You’ve hit on such an important point: in our “throwaway culture,” it’s easy to overlook these vital local businesses. By making them visible on Google Maps, we’re not just providing a service; we’re actively encouraging people to choose repair over replacement, which is a powerful step towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.
It’s also wonderful that you’ve highlighted other Local Guides who are contributing to this movement. From mobile repair to cycle shops and even tire puncture services, these are the unsung heroes of our communities, helping us extend the life of our belongings and fostering local economic resilience. Your call for including Google Maps links in these posts is spot on – it makes it so much easier for users to find and support these businesses.
Keep up the incredible work, @K.K.Sharma

[TusharSuradkar]

Insightful and eye-opening

This post touches on so many aspects besides sustainability.

Not repairing things and promoting “one-use” or the infamous culture of “use-and-throw” can damage our environment in more ways than we can imagine.

I am in favor of repairing items of daily use.
And we have seen Mochis at prominent places for decades together.
So I am sure we should be able to add them without a shop number.

I am going to explore this possibility by adding a mochi near my house this week. @K.K.Sharma

[Annaelisa]

Ich bin ganz und gar der gleichen Meinung und füge gerne solche Orte hinzu, auf das es ihnen gut geht und erhalten bleiben. @K.K.Sharma
Beispiel:

Schuh-Service Thomsen Schuster-Meisterbetrieb · Eckernförde

FoneFix Smartphone Reparatur · Eckernförde

[K.K.Sharma]

Thank you so much @RaviSharma111, for your kind words and thoughtful reflection!
Yes, that image of the cobbler truly reflects the essence of sustainability and the dignity of skilled local work. I’m really glad you connected with the idea — promoting repair culture through platforms like Google Maps feels like a small but meaningful step towards SDG 12.

I completely agree — these everyday heroes like mochiwalas, mobile repairers, and cycle mechanics often go unnoticed despite the essential services they provide. By mapping them, we’re not only supporting local livelihoods but also nurturing a mindset of mindful consumption.

Thank you again for encouraging this movement. Let’s keep highlighting such places and building awareness together — one pin at a time!

[K.K.Sharma]

Thank you so much @TusharSuradkar, for your thoughtful response!
You’ve beautifully captured the deeper message behind the post — that sustainability goes beyond just a trend; it’s about rethinking our habits and valuing what we already have.

It’s wonderful to hear that you’re planning to add a mochi near your house. That’s exactly how we can make a difference — one local listing at a time. And yes, many of these service providers have been part of our neighborhoods for decades, often without a formal shop setup. But their presence and impact are undeniable, and they definitely deserve to be on the map.

Looking forward to seeing your contribution soon — together we can build a more repair-friendly and sustainable world!

[K.K.Sharma]

That’s wonderful to hear — completely agree with you!
Adding such places not only supports the livelihoods of local artisans but also helps preserve traditional services that are so vital to our communities. Thank you @Annaelisa, for sharing the Maps links — it’s great to see these efforts in action. Every such addition inspires more people to look around and map what’s often overlooked. Let’s keep this going!