History Extra podcast Medieval make do and mend
Nov 14, 2024
In this engaging discussion, Annette Kehnel, an expert in medieval innovations and author of 'The Green Ages: Medieval Innovations in Sustainability', dives into the fascinating world of medieval sustainability. She explores how waste was virtually nonexistent, with secondhand markets thriving. Discover the dynamic between new goods and the repair market, and how resourcefulness shaped community cohesion. Kehnel also reflects on what our ancestors might think of today’s environmental challenges, urging us to innovate and collaborate for a sustainable future.
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Broaden Problem-Solving With Historical Perspectives
- Looking to medieval and non-Western societies widens our sense of possibility for solving modern problems.
- History trains creative solution strategies rather than prescribing past lifestyles.
Waste Is A Modern Invention
- The modern idea of 'waste' is very recent and linked to cheap oil and mass-produced unrecyclable goods after WWII.
- Medieval societies reused goods extensively because producing new items was more costly and repair was a viable livelihood.
Frankfurt Shows Repairing Was Profitable
- Frankfurt tax registers show repairing and second-hand trades were profitable and undertaken by relatively well-off citizens.
- Repairing was an organized market, not just marginal poverty-driven activity.
