JO from Waimate writes, “I have been thinking about: ‘Do we really need to use so much?’ This I apply to everything I can think of, especially if it benefits the environment. I have made a serious effort to reduce the plastic I buy. I noticed that nearly everything is packaged in plastic, especially in […]
Essie from Auckland writes, To make a big tea cosy, not being a skilled sewer (!), I cut the arms off my worn old jumper, neatened the edges and then went online to find out how to make a pompom to attach to the top of my cosy. I bought two balls of wool in […]
Caro writes, Love getting your email. I live in Pt England [[Auckland] and around this area and also reasonably far-reaching suburbs there are the “Free Cycle” web site people can join and everything (as the name says) is free and also the “Neighbourly” web site in most areas and expanding also has free stuff and wanted […]
Adriana from Auckland asks, “What’s best to do with old broken unusable phones?”
Dave N of Kamo, Whangarei writes, The current packaging for Nescafe, a nice rectangular plastic bag/box, should recycle into a seedling/potting container, with a couple holes poked in the bottom. Cheers
Adrienne from Chch writes: Always buy same brand and colour. When you find a ladder cut the leg off. After the 2nd ladder wear together with 2 tops – keeps you warm! The cut off leg is excellent for washing children’s soft toys. The small pieces of soap from the shower put in the feet […]
Denis from Opotiki writes, “Use broken up polyurethane packing in the bottom of your pot plants. It keeps them warm and is lighter when you need to move your large pots.”
José from Waimate is a regular contributor of oily rag tips, and has lots more to share: Use sea sponges that wash up on the beach to clean pots and pans. Being rough in texture they remove scraps but do not scratch the surface of the pots. Recycle bike chains as hinges for gates and […]
Carolyn from Auckland writes, “I have been redoing my pantry and saving nice glass coffee jobs from my work (they usually get recycled), washed and cleaned them and have been putting nuts, seeds, tea bags etc in them. They are air tight and my pantry looks like something out of NZ Home & Garden! I […]
M B from Gisborne writes, “Re-use zip lock bags by washing in hot soapy water and drying, either in dish rack or pegged up on a hanger”.