Over 50 people attended the Living the Change film and eco-expo evening at Far North REAP in Kaitāia on Friday 24th July.
This event sprang from the Tai Tokerau Timebank Alternative Economies Zoom discussion group led by Whāngārei coordinator Greer Rassmussen, initially set up as part of the Covid19 rāhui programme; convinced that they did not want or need to return to the same old ways of time wasting consumption and waste, that there is a better way forward.
Over the last few months the group has looked at alternative economic systems, community housing models and many associated tangents. Whilst all Timebankers, various members of the group are also involved with the EcoCentre Kaitāia, Transition Towns Kaitāia etc. and covered a wealth of experience and interests.
The eco-expo for an hour before the film gave people a chance to find out more about how to do things from people already doing them: zero waste, solar energy, composting toilets, lime plastering, organic food production, timebanking, local currencies, permaculture and more.
The film that followed, Living the Change, is a documentary featuring leading NZ thinkers and practitioners in the fields mentioned above. It's an inspiring look into some of the problems confronting our society today and how various people are meeting those challenges.
Tea and shared food, along with animated discussion flowed before and after the film.
Tai Tokerau Timebank are looking to repeat this event in other parts of the region later in the year, drawing on those local to each area for the expo as well as those from this one willing to travel further afield.
John Kenderdine & Anna Dunford
photos by Greer Rasmussen