Unwanted computers needed for school education programme
Kia ora,
I deliver an environmental education programme called Know Waste in Whangarei promoting the recycling of electronics and reducing waste sent to landfill. As part of the lesson students get to dismantle a desktop computer but I am having trouble finding enough computers to keep up with demand. If you generous people of Whangarei have any old desktop computers to donate please contact me at anton@cbec.co.nz or on 021 058 3126. They may also be dropped at 141 Lower Cameron street but please call on 09 4388 710 first. No dumping outside.
(UPDATE I can only take the computer tower/box part not the monitor/screen as they are potentially dangerous to dismantle)
Please everyone out there recycle your electronics including cellphones, don't put them in the rubbish! They contain not only valuable rare metals like gold, silver, platinum and Rare Earth Elements but also toxic heavy metals like Lead, Cadmium and Mercury. They can be recycled at the Re:sort on Kioreroa road.
Some scientists are predicting that in the future we will need to mine our landfills for these rare metals as supplies will become scarce if we keep dumping them.
Especially remember that the old boxy CRT TV screens contain a lot of LEAD which is a highly toxic heavy metal. These should not end up the landfill nor dumped in a drain or creek as they can contaminate the land and water terribly and permanently. I know it costs a lot to recycle them but that is because there are only a few facilities in the world that can recycle them (Sweden Japan, USA) and they are toxic, difficult to recycle and are bulky to freight overseas.
Overseas in some countries when electronics are purchased a small compulsory recycling fee is included in the cost which allows easy free drop off at its end of life. That is what we would advocate here in NZ rather than a pay when its dead system which discourages recycling from those who can't/won't pay.
Thanks for reading, hope you can help :-)
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Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
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54.3% Human-centred experience and communication
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13.8% Critical thinking
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29.3% Resilience and adaptability
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2.6% Other - I will share below!
Whangarei Film Society - screenings for Thursday February 26th, 2026
Good People
Welcome to 2026!
The film night for our first WFS screening for the year will be on Thursday 26th February in the Capitaine Bougainville Theatre at Forum North, 7 Rust Ave Whangarei.
Please note: There will be one screening only for the evening. It will follow the WFS AGM at 6pm.
We will be screening the NZ doco, Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke at 7:15pm.
Thanks to all for your continued support of WFS and hope to see you there.
NOT ONLY FRED DAGG BUT ALSO JOHN CLARKE
New Zealand, 2025, Documentary, 103 mins
Cast: Sam Neill, Ben Elton, Bryan Dawe
Director: Lorin Clarke
When satirist John Clarke died in 2017, the world mourned an icon. He was a defining comedic voice who wrote and appeared in numerous films and TV productions, and who – in a beloved double act with Bryan Dawe – skewered political hypocrisy for almost 30 years on current affairs shows.
In a series of recorded conversations with his daughter, writer/director Lorin Clarke, John traces his steadfast resistance to authority back to his childhood and offers delightful insights into his four decades in the entertainment industry.
Weaving together personal anecdotes, a rich television archive, tales from international comedy greats and riches from Clarke’s work and letters, this is a deeply personal insight into a legend of the antipodean screen and a tribute to the disruptive power of creativity.
"In New Zealand, he was bigger than The Beatles." - Sam Neill
Showing at Forum North, 7 Rust Ave Whangarei on Thursday, 26th February at 7:15pm following the WFS AGM at 6pm.
View the trailer at: www.youtube.com...
Tickets: Door sales only. $10 WFS members. Non-members pay $5 extra as an Associate Membership fee per film (Total of $15).
WFS members from 2025 who register and attend the WFS AGM will be admitted to the film screening that night for free.
All welcome. Cash only please – NO EFTPOS AVAILABLE.
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