Green Things To Do This Summer - Orienteering
November 16, 2008
Looking for fun and interesting things to do outdoors this summer with your friends and family? Easy Green Living is too! As we investigate green things to do this summer, we’ll post them here for you to check out.
This week, we found a flyer advertising the Auckland Orienteering Club at the local library. Thinking their summer series looked like a fun after work challenge, Easy Green Living checked out their website.
Extract From Auckand Orienteering Club website:
Twenty one fun or extremely competitive after work orienteering events have been scheduled in Auckland City Parks and recreational areas over the summer months.
Never tried orienteering? Interested in giving it a go? Want to learn Navigation skills? Like to explore some parks with the aid of a high quality map? - This is your chance!
Click here for the Summer Series 2008-2009 homepage
Email us at auckoc [at] hotmail.com now to get on our Summer Series Events email list to keep up to date.
Looks like fun for all ages and level of fitness. We’ll be giving it go!
If you know of any fun and interesting outdoor pursuits you’d like to share with Easy Green Living readers, please post details in the GOT SOMETHING TO SAY comments field below.
Green Art
November 16, 2008
New category “Green Art” Will Feature Here Shortly
If you are an artist, or know of anyone, that would like to showcase eco-friendly art here, please contact joinus[at]easygreenliving[dot]co.nz. Easy Green Living offers this as a free service to support green artists.
Vick’s Veggie Garden Journal - 16 Nov 08
November 16, 2008
My dear friend, Vick, has decided to follow in the footsteps of Lynda Hallinan (Editor, NZ Gardener) and give sustainable gardening a go!
Having spent the past three years building her dream home in Whangarei, with husband Chris, and after the happy arrival of beautiful daughter Maddie this year, Vick has set about putting in place her dream of a sustainable garden. Vick’s goal is to create a garden that produces her own “groceries” to create healthy nutritious meals for family and friends in her gorgeous new kitchen!
Vick has kindly agreed to share with Easy Green Living, her gardening experiences. Vick is also a sensational cook so we’ll be checking in for cooking tips and recipes. Vick has a number of exciting sustainable gardening projects underway, which we look forward to sharing with you over the following seasons.
Vick is starting at grass roots, although she has some knowledge and a great resource to tap into. Her parents are avid gardeners. Check out the photo below of a recent harvest from their veggie garden, kindly given to us! Fresh home grown vegetables taste so good!
This week, Vick sent us some photos of her veggie garden. Her first crop will be ready in December…
1. Xmas Potatoes - fast growing potatoes called Swist potatoes. Vick told us they take 80 days to grow. She planted this crop 60 days ago (shown in photo below). This crop will be ready for Xmas Day.
2. Snow peas
3. Lettuces
4. Vick’s first tomato
“Vick’s Veggie Garden Journal” is bound to give you practical tips and ideas, and show it is possible to grow your own groceries and still produce stylish tasty meals. I’m inspired and planted herbs and lettuces this weekend for my summer salads.
We have set up a Gardening Group in the Easy Green Living Community. If you’d like to join in
CLICK HERE
to sign up today.
Happy gardening!
Easy Green Living
Going Green
November 15, 2008
University of Auckland is holding a Going Green series of free interactive seminars on 29 November 2008.
Seminars include:
- How To Buy Green
- How To Eat Green
- How To Dispose Green
- How To Renovate Green
- How To Grow Green
- How To Sell Green, cleanly
- How To Invest Green
- How To Have A Green Funeral
- How To Be A Green School
- How To Build A Green Community
- How To Travel Green
- How To Be Green Parents
To learn more about this event, visit www.goinggreen2008.co.nz or phone 0800 864 266.
Location: 20 Symonds St, University of Auckland
Website: Click here
Date: 2008-11-29
A Visit To The Parnell Festival Of Roses
November 12, 2008
This weekend, I visited the Auckland City Council’s Parnell Festival of Roses. One reason was to see my mother, working with other Heritage Rose Society members, creating and selling gorgeous fragrant posies. The members kindly donated their time and beautiful flowers from their own gardens. Proceeds go towards the care and maintenance of the Nancy Steen Garden. (www.heritageroses.org.nz).
I must say, it was like entering a magical garden full of surprises. Artists, food & gift stalls, entertainers, fairies and elves popped up in every direction. Enid Blyton’s, “The Far Away Tree” came to mind. And the roses … exquisite in full bloom. The air was filled with rose perfume, floating soap bubbles and a friendly happy energy.
You can see a glimpse of the day in the video below.
Mark this event in your diary for next year - pack a picnic and make a day of it!
Wheat Free Biscuits For Summer Entertaining
November 12, 2008
jones weekly food column
This week at jones the grocer, I came across a tasty versatile biscuit recipe using Polenta. I thought anyone on a wheat-free diet may enjoy this one!
Xterra Trail Challenge - Rotorua
November 7, 2008
Title: Xterra Trail Challenge
Location: Rotorua
Link out: Click here
Description: Run and walk in Rotorua’s beautiful Whakarewarewa Forest
5km, 11km or 21km
Start Time: 08:00am
Date: 2008-12-06
Green And Gorgeous Xmas Treats
November 6, 2008
You may be in denial but New Zealand is just moments away from being drowned in Xmas frivolity. Love or loath the merry months, Christmas shops are opening, lights are being untangled and credit cards are stretching and flexing ready for a strenuous workout.
Some of the EGL team have already begun to tick off Xmas lists while others are in the aforementioned denial camp. As a member of the latter category I thought this was the perfect time to look into fab, green gift ideas that serve not only as gorgeous, thoughtful pressies but as an introduction for loved ones to beauty products that are both gentle on your skin and on the environment.
Whats’ On - NZ Ocean Swim Series - Auckland
November 6, 2008
Title: Ocean Swim
Location: Harbour Crossing - Auckland
Link out: Click here
Description: 2.8km event
Start Time: 09:35am
Date: 2008-11-16
What Is A Green Company?
November 2, 2008
In this time of rapidly increasing change to a greener economy and workplace, the definition and interpretations we’ve read leads us to suggest this remains quite broad. However, to give some guidelines to this term we suggest the following. A Green Company is one that is environmentally responsible with their impact on the environment (locally and globally) and its protection and preservation. It can be part of a green industry or through best “eco-friendly” practices. “Environmentally responsible” are the keywords here.
What is a Green Industry?
Green industries can be categorised as follows:
* Organic foods and consumer products
* Residential energy efficiency or solar power
* Renewable energy
* Green building
* Recycling
* Environmental cleanup
* Socially responsible investment
* Sustainable tourism
* Non-profit environmental institutes
We’d love to hear from green companies in New Zealand. If you have something to say - please add your comments at the end of this post.
If you have a job vacancy that falls into this category - feel free to post it on the “Green Company” job listing page on http://www.greenjobsnewzealand.com.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out our FREE green job board - go to www.greenjobsnewzealand.com. This service has been created to help environmentally responsible New Zealand companies and job seekers who aspire to work in a greener workplace.
