7 EcoFest Events To Help You Save Money
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With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on many households, we can all do with being more savvy with our money. Luckily, there are a range of great events coming up during EcoFest where you can learn about practical ways to stretch your dollar.
Here are seven events to get you started on your frugal living journey.
Grow your own food
Join Judy Keats to discover simple and effective techniques for increasing production in your home garden. This workshop will focus on crop selection for the winter months and timing for best results, with an emphasis on building soil fertility through poly cropping and green manures. Brought to you by Triangle Park Community Teaching Garden.
Gardening with the Seasons Masterclass
Wednesday 27 March, 10:00am-12:30pm
Triangle Park Community Teaching Garden, 385 Don Buck Rd, Massey
Koha, registration required
Help foster local food resilience and biodiversity by sharing knowledge and resources. Come along to the launch of the New Lynn Community Seed Hub Library, bring some seeds to exchange and get advice on growing and gardening.
New Lynn Community Hub Seed Swap
Friday 5 April, 12-12:30pm
New Lynn Community Hub, 45 Totara Avenue, New Lynn
Free
Reduce your water bill by collecting rain water
It falls! It’s free! Catch it while you can! There’s never a better time than the present to learn how to collect rainwater and start saving on your water bill. Join rainwater harvesting guru and multi-talented inventor Laurie Dee, who will take you through how to build your own rain barrel collection system. Find out how to calculate how much rainwater your roof could capture, all about water dynamics, council regulations for larger systems, and other frequently asked questions.
Introduction To Rainwater Harvesting With Laurie Dee
Sunday 7 April, 10:30am-1pm
EcoMatters, 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn
Tickets $25
Make do and mend
Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that you just don’t wear? Maybe they don’t fit right, are too short or long, or the waistband has stretched out? Maybe you love the print or colour but not the cut? Instead of buying new, come along to this workshop to learn different techniques to chop, change, and combine your garments to create a one-off upcycled garment of your own. Bring a few items of clothing that you would like to use for your creation, including any special fabrics and buttons.
Upcycle Your Clothes with The Mindful Mender
Saturday 23 March, 2:30-4:30pm
EcoMatters, 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn
Tickets $10
Try a different dinner that’s kinder to your budget (and the environment)
Get inspired and learn how to cook some delicious, easy-to-prepare plant-based meals on a budget in this workshop and cooking demo. Join chef and health coach Andrea Bravo (Dandelion Kitchen), where you’ll learn to cook, then try two flavourful recipes and get to take home a Different Dinners recipe book. You’ll leave this workshop armed with some skills to make a range of recipes that are budget (and environment) friendly and will boost you and your whanau’s health.
Different Dinners
Thursday 21 March, 6:30-8pm
EcoMatters, 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn
Pay what you can afford, tickets $5-$15
Create your own skincare products
Learn how to make gorgeous, sustainable skincare products that are good for your skin and the environment in this hands-on natural and eco-friendly skincare making class. Join ethical skincare expert Juliette Jones, from Whitecloud Skincare to learn to craft your very own ethical skincare products for your own personal use. From nourishing face creams to invigorating scrubs, this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to make high-quality skincare products for your own use that align with your values.
Green Beauty: Creating Ethical Skincare
Sunday 17 March, 12-4pm
West Auckland’s RE: MAKER SPACE, 6 Westgate Drive, Massey
Tickets $20
Re-imagine waste
Never visited the treasure trove that is the West Auckland Resource Centre? Well, now is the time! Come along and learn more about this community-led charity run by amazing volunteers, who dedicate time and energy towards ensuring that Aotearoa changes the way it sees ‘waste’. From bubble wrap to books, wood to wrapping paper, there’s a huge variety of resources to discover for all kinds of projects. Plus, the first three customers through the green shed doors can take what they need for free!
Discover Your Local Resource Centre
Saturday 16 March, 10am-1pm
West Auckland Resource Centre, 2 Seabrook Avenue, New Lynn
Free
EcoFest is a month-long festival which runs from Friday 15 March to Sunday 14 April 2024. The festival programme features more than 250 events and opportunities to connect with nature on our doorstep, care for the places we love, and share skills and ideas for a better future.
To see full details of all EcoFest events, please visit www.ecofest.org.nz
