Workshops bring food and waste focus to the south

A week of practical workshops encouraging south Aucklanders to grow their own food and make the most of waste will kick off on Monday 15 September.

Sustainable South – From Garden to Table and Back is a series of workshops for people to learn new and sustainable skills and ideas for managing their food and food waste, and other waste resources, in an urban environment.

The programme is a collaboration between Auckland Council and south Auckland-based organisations, including Mangere East Family Service Centre, Gardens for Health and the Hope ‘n’ Help Charitable Trust. It offers hands-on experience that participants can take back to their homes and communities.

The sessions include subject areas like hydroponics – an effective way of growing food without using soil – and household bokashi, which is a clean, fast way of composting food.

Solid Waste Community Project Manager Jenny Chilcott says: “We want to support households to live sustainably, so they are growing their own food and managing their food waste well. The themed workshops can help people save money, as well as being good for the environment.”

The workshops will also offer opportunities for anyone interested in learning more about waste and social enterprise.

“We know waste is a resource, and an opportunity in the hands of social enterprise groups. Our workshops will give participants insights into ways that waste can be used as a resource or upcycled into new products, and the possibilities for job creation and building small businesses.”

Jenny says Sustainable South is a great example of Auckland Council and communities working together to reach the aspirational goal of ‘Zero Waste’ to landfill by 2040.

Sustainable South is open to all groups and individuals. Registration is free (koha appreciated) and most of the workshops are free, except for the Large Scale Bokashi workshop on Thursday ($50 per group) and the Uniquely South Social Enterprise workshop on Friday ($25 per person).

The workshops will take place at south Auckland venues, including Papatuanuku Kōkiri Marae, Mangere Community Gardens and Papatoetoe Town Hall.

To register, visit https://sustainable-south.lilregie.com/step1.

For more information, email southsustainable@gmail.com or call 021 149 7876.

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