So here is an idea for our council.
New Plymouth upcycling centre, the Junction is getting upcycled
Saving 350 tonnes of rubbish from ending up in a landfill is no easy feat, but Douglas Hopkins and his team at the Junction have helped the New Plymouth community do just that.
”It’s the very challenging task of changing the way that our community interacts as consumers,” Hopkins said.
“The way we shop, what we purchase, and in particular, what we do with the waste that’s created as a result.”
The Junction is no ordinary op-shop. The team of 15 staff spend their days fixing and up-cycling products to save them from ending up in the bin.
”I’ve picked items out of skip bins that I have brought down here, the team has made a little bit of a change and they’ve sold the same day and gone back out to the community,” said Hopkins.
“So those moments are really rewarding.”
Education is a big part of minimising waste in the community.
”The goal is to make it more of a destination so people are coming out not only to shop, but they can learn in the process. They then take that home and start making those changes in their own home.”
Since opening in 2019 the Junction has sold more than 150,000 individual items, creating 15 jobs along the way.
”We don’t just give them a job, we also put them through a learning pathway so they receive all forms of training certificates.
www.nzherald.co.nz...
Works for others so why not here as well.
Perhaps they could fund their new offices from this!
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
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.
Step by step for a great cause!
Our amazing Hillary Hikers from Edmund Hillary Village showed their support for Bowel Cancer New Zealand's Move Your Butt campaign this month!
Sporting the bright purple and orange campaign shirts, these wonderful walkers hit the Auckland waterfront and marched from Mission Bay to Kohimarama, raising awareness for bowel cancer and the importance of early detection along the way.
Click read more to read the full story.
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