EcoFest is a month-long celebration of our unique environment and sustainable living across Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland. It is packed with interactive workshops, experiences and activities for all ages that celebrate and restore our natural environment and offer practical ways to live more sustainably.
This year, Sustainability club’s focus is on networking that helps us learn and get inspired. Over the next three weeks, we will be attending various EcoFest events and you are welcome to join us! Below is a list of cherry-picked events that caught our attention. To find out more email oneplanet@unitec.ac.nz
FOODIES FIX
Up your gardening game by learning more about:
- Growing mushrooms Friday 29th March in Manurewa, Saturday 6th April in New Lynn or Sunday 14th April in Manurewa.
- Raising microgreens with workshops Saturday 13th April in Onehunga.
- Permaculture workshop in Birkenhead, in either Mandarin language Wednesday 27th March, or in English Wednesday 20th March.
For your healthy journey – soak up inspiration from attending:
- Different Dinners workshop for healthy meals on a budget, on Wednesday 21st March in New Lynn.
- Fermented foods, practical workshops on Saturday 23rd March in New Lynn or in Western Springs
- The two exciting Cook Offs: Sunday 7th April in Orewa, and Monday 8th April in Oneroa.
Throughout March and April, pick one day to Volunteer at Fair Food in Avondale and help sort healthy and nutritious surplus food supplied by donor organisations to be redistributed to 50+ recipient charities
EXPLORE NATURE
Get started with ecological restoration work along the eco-corridor, at either Devonport or Narrow Neck, on Friday 22nd March, 5th April, and 12th April. And on Mondays, 25th March, 1st April, and 8th April you can help out an Eco Corridor team in Bayswater.
- Seeds are life. You can join a seed swap in Avondale, make seed bombs to take home, Saturday 23rd March in New Lynn, or Saturday 30th March in Oratia,
- Learn how to take better care of your fruit trees and in general, all things tree health. Sign up for this interactive and hands-on workshop, Sunday 24th March, at Mt Roskill.
- Take an edutaining walk and learn about these stunning and beautiful eco-systems. Starting in our own backyard, walk with Te Auaunga Oakley creek, roam with a ranger at Arataki, or enjoy the full moon and the ambience of Matuku Link by night!
- Grab your whānau, a mate (or two!) and give back to our beautiful moana by giving a helping hand at two ocean and beach clean ups. There are two happening on the same day, Saturday 23rd March at five locations. For Te Atatu Peninsula click here, and for Whenuapai, Beach Haven, Greenhithe, and Herald Island, click here.
- Discover Nature through journaling. Spots are still available on Saturday, 23rd March at Auckland Botanic Gardens, and Saturday 13th April in Birkdale . Through using a series of prompts you will soon be in a relaxed frame of mind documenting your natural finds in words and sketches.
CONSCIOUS LIVING
- Tomorrow evening you can join online for Our city tomorrow – Reimagining Auckland talk by Annette Sadik-Khan and Rt Hon Helen Clark
- April 1st, 4th and 7th, sign up for ‘The Week – your new Climate Change story’. It is a free online 3-session experience will help wrap your head around the complex problem of climate change. You get together 3 times, during a week (hence “The Week”). Each time you watch a 1 hour documentary film episode. And then the heart of the experience: a guided conversation for 30 minutes (or more if you want) to make sense of it all.
- Friday 22nd March, sign up for Aotearoa’s Energy Future workshop to expand your energy literacy and explore transitional pathways to a fossil carbon free future. This will be an interactive, exploratory and educational workshop.
For more events centered on this theme, click here.
MAKERS’ MAYHEM
Give your clothes some love:
- The Mindful Mender workshops in New Lynn, facilitated by an ex-Unitec staff member, upcycling your clothes Saturday 23rd March
- Keep pants alive workshop in Manurewa on Saturday 13th April and Onehunga Sunday 14th April.
- Stitch it up workshop in Browns Bay, Thursday 4th April or join a Mending Circle in Blockhouse Bay, on Saturday 6th April
Or simply just get creative and :
- make your own upcycled felt slippers
- discover the traditional art of kusaki-zomeand learn to make colourful bookmarks using foraged flowers and natural dyes derived from kitchen scraps
- make DIY Bug hotel with your kids
- create your very own Beeswax wrap to take home with you, Thursday 2nd April in Oratia or Saturday 6th April in Titirangi.
CLEAN TRANSPORT
- Join the ‘ Do I still need a car?’ panel talk, this Friday 22nd March at Western Springs, whether you already are or wish to leave your car at home more, and use alternative modes of transport. Bring along your real-life journeys for our panel to ponder the best way from A to B.
- Join at Avondale Learn-to-ride track for a day of empowerment, friendship, and the joy of pedalling together. This Bronze Bike Skills course is great for beginners. You’ll learn how to balance on a bike, how to pedal independently, and some basic bike handling skills. There are two courses on the same day, Saturday 23rd March, starting at 1.30 p.m. and also at 3.30 p.m.
See more events for this theme here.