Sustainable solutions, Titirangi to get its own ‘refillery’; Weather by the Moon

Titirangi to get its own ‘refillery’

“Refill Nation came out of our love of home, our West Auckland community and whānau, and a desire to eliminate wasteful packaging in Aotearoa,” says Jackson Mulligan. “We believe reducing waste should be achievable for everyone so we built a place to go waste-free shopping.”

Jackson’s latest venture is a new Refill Nation store in the Village’s Rise development, due to open this month.

Jackson believes that to truly drive change, refillable and reusable alternatives that are affordable for everyday shoppers are required. Over the two years that Refill Nation has been operating (in Te Atatu), the company has learned that community connection is one of its biggest business drivers and it is always open to feedback and suggestions – leading to initiatives such as milk swap, social cooking evenings, and new products like its peanut butter mill and kombucha refills.

“When Covid-19 hit in 2020, we had to adapt our business model,” says Jackson. “Fortunately, we were already operating an online store with click and collect and nationwide delivery. But we had to take it a step further and turn our Te Atatu store into a packing and distribution site. We learned a lot about online ordering processes, packing orders and working with our courier friends.”

Jackson is a West Auckland local and is deeply passionate about community. Having heard from many friends and family members that Titirangi is renowned for its strong community, there was a genuine excitement about joining the Titirangi tribe, and a strong desire to help spread the ‘refill lifestyle’.

“We think the Love Titirangi initiatives (replacing plastic bags with reusable ones, BYO takeaway containers and

weather by the moon

The Titirangi Refill Nation store will feature innovations including Grind Your Own Coffee and DIY Peanut Butter.

Ken Ring’s predictions for April

April is drier than normal, with average sunshine, warmer afternoons and cooler nights overall.

Only one or two days in each week are wet, heavy over a short period, followed by 4-5 days of dry skies. Wet days are around the 8th, 16th, and 23rd, meaning that the 11th, 18th, and 24th are expected to be clear. The first week, with winds averaging from the north may see slightly higher temperatures. The second week sees southwest winds, and the rest of the month may be southeasterly. Atmospheric pressures may average 1017mbs.

For fishermen, the highest tides are around the 28th. The best fishing bite-times in the West are at noon on the 9th–12th, and 25th–27th. Chances are also good around dusk on the 2nd–5th and 17th–0th.

For gardeners, pruning is best between the 6th and 11th (waning moon descending), and sowing is best between the 20th and 26th (waxing moon ascending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, pick crops or flowers on the neap tide days of the 6th and 22nd. Allow 24 hour error for all forecasting. For future weather for any date, visit www.predictweather.com. © Ken Ring 2021. the keep-a-cup concept) are fantastic, and any community which has a group of passionate people trying to reduce waste is a very lucky community indeed,” says Jackson The new store will stock most pantry staples, from flours, sugars, teas, and freshly roasted local coffee beans, to pet foods, kombucha, grind-your-own peanut butter, and eco cleaning products. “We also have a range of sustainable household products such as dishcloths, reusable cups, and refillable candles. One of our most popular initiatives is our fresh milk swap, where customers can return their empty glass bottles and take away a fresh bottle of milk,” says Jackson.

Pricing for refill products is competitive and the concept is also convenient. “If you look at our herbs and spices for example, the average refill cost is about 50% of a packaged product. The other beauty is that you can purchase as much or as little as you need.”

Snap, Send, Solve

Snap Send Solve is a new app, available online at https://www.snapsendsolve.com/ or as a free app on Google Play or the App Store, that offers an easy and efficient way to notify local councils, utilities or other authorities of issues that need addressing in our community. Problems such as graffiti, illegal parking, dumped rubbish, trip hazards or abandoned trolleys can be photographed and uploaded to inform the appropriate authority in just a few taps. Become a community legend and download Snap Send Solve today.

Plant problems?

Are your indoor or outdoor plants looking a bit sad? Kings Plant Barn would like to help. Visit https:// plantdoctor.co.nz/ with your questions and problems. You can also upload a photo of the plant.

Kings is known for its sustainability initiatives, recycling paper, plastic film, cardboard and plant pots, the use of worm bins, and their Plan Bee campaign focused on educating the public on how to care for bees to ensure their survival.