We need to wake up to what is happening around us. Global instability, rising fuel and food prices, fragile supply chains and the increasing cost of living are reminders of just how vulnerable our communities can be. Here in the Far North, our distance from major centres makes us particularly exposed. We cannot afford to assume that the systems we depend on will always be there when we need them. The Packhouse Market Project is about much more than a market. It is an opportunity to build the...

By Stephanie, Whangaroa-Kerikeri-BOI Local Timebank Coordinator Tai Tokerau Timebank held a stand at the Forest Healing Festival in Waipapa, Kerikeri over Labour Weekend. We were in the Sustainability Zone, along with fellow Timebanker Eco-Solutions. The Forest Healing Festival is described as more than a wellness event — it is a “journey of reconnection with nature, community, and your true self”. People from all over NZ and the world convened in the Puketi Forest for a weekend of...

On a miserable rainy night, some intrepid souls headed to Kaeo to participate in an Eco-Solutions workshop making safe cleaners. Anouk and Katharina, both timebankers, brought a collection of non-toxic ingredients, essential oils and a list of DIY Cleaning Products recipes. We decided to collaborate and each made one cleaner to share with the others. I chose the All-Purpose Spray since I don’t use commercial cleaning sprays at home and wanted something I could use safely. The cleaning paste...