Our Life

We throw out a mountain of electronics each year, but new recycling technology could help build a circular economy for more sustainable gadgets.

Cook up a feast for family and friends, decorating the table with these flax placemats.

Bringing the Past to Life at Akaroa

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories/Te Takanga o te Wā – the new history curriculum for school students – is generating an upsurge of interest in Akaroa and the special place it holds in our past. Local guide and ecologist Marie Haley is thrilled to be sharing the peninsula’s unique stories with young people and suggests there is no better place for a New Zealand history tour than Akaroa.

The Magic of Auction with Keith MacDonald Harcourts Grenadier

While there are many facets to successfully selling a property, auction is a sale method sellers should consider, no matter the market. Real estate agent Keith MacDonald explains.

Achieving Greatness Together – Loan Market Paramount

From a hard-working solo maverick to leading the best team in the business, Nathan Miglani of Loan Market Paramount is an award-winning mortgage adviser raising the standard of customer care.

Keep Calm in a Cooling Market

It’s cooling off, and we’re not just talking about the weather, says Mortgage Adviser Nathan Miglani of Loan Market Paramount.

Keeping Canterbury Smiling – Peak Orthodontics

We talk to specialist orthodontist Dr John Perry from Peak Orthodontics about the importance of individualised treatment (be it with braces, clear aligners or a retainer) when it comes to achieving that perfect smile.

Breaking the Rules – The Wardrobe Stories

As owner-operator of clothing store Louis Who and the mastermind behind Waikuku’s Old School Collective , Lisa Willetts is a formidable force, passionate about slow fashion, a good frock and comfort.

A Place to Gather and Grow – Phillipstown Community Hub

Not long after Phillipstown School was closed seven years ago as part of the Christchurch schools’ post-earthquakes reorganisation, the school site reopened as a community hub. Today, Te Whare Whānau Whānui/Phillipstown Community Hub is a thriving place that offers a warm welcome and a host of activities and programmes.

Kid’s Reading Corner Aug/Sept

With so many great kids’ and young adult titles out there, it helps to have a recommendation from the experts. Here are this month’s top picks from Telling Tales: Scorpio Children’s Books .

Surprises come in many forms in the newest, electrifying chapter for Lexus.

A Sport Waikato initiative is helping females of all ages to feel comfortable about their bodies and encouraging them to be active.

Trees are significant hazards on their own, but pair them with fire and you’ve got a potential disaster. Michael Van de Elzen and FMG’s Montana Kerr share their top tips to mitigate risks.

An intermediate-level crochet project that is as pretty as it is practical.

Mushroom enthusiast Alice Nicholls explores the mindset of a mushroom in her master's thesis titled 'How to Become a Mushroom'.

Is it the Right Time to Buy?

Rising interest rates might have the market on edge, but there’s plenty of good news for property buyers says Nathan Miglani, Mortgage Adviser with Loan Market Paramount .

Food as Thy Medicine

New Zealand’s history with restrictive legislation of alcohol and cannabis has been both flourishing and failing over successive governments. In the 1970s, both commercial vines and medical cannabis plantings were making great footsteps. Sarah Perriam highlights how one of these industries reached $2 billion in export value by 2020 and the other is racing to catch up.

Bringing Heart to Recruitment – Trinity Employment

You can’t help but feel inspired hearing Cassandra Slumskie speak of bringing heart to the recruitment sector, and the success that’s followed. Driven by a need to serve businesses and candidates with values and ethics, her refreshing approach has not only seen Trinity Employment thrive, but make plenty of waves in the sector.

A New Vision in Surveying – Terravision

After 30 years of firmly establishing themselves in the Canterbury region and the South Island, one of Canterbury’s most well-known surveying companies is looking to the future.

We Teach the Future Together

When the world is in a state of constant disruption it is even more important to keep an eye on possible futures, for all businesses and communities as well as schools. Dr Cheryl Doig explains .

Timaru’s Young Entrepreneurs

A quiet revolution has been occurring in the South Canterbury town of Timaru. Despite Covid and the challenges of running a business, young entrepreneurs are moving into town and setting up shop.

Heroes are all Around us

Poor mental and emotional wellbeing affects the lives of many New Zealanders. Wellbeing advocate Nadine Hickman is on a mission to create positive change through her not-for-profit organisation, PEPTALK .

Kid’s Reading Corner June/July

With so many great kids’ and young adult titles out there, it helps to have a recommendation from the experts. Here are this month’s top picks from Telling Tales: Scorpio Children’s Books .

When Wisdom is Beautiful – Rhonda Stove’s 40+ Wise Women Project

On the surface Rhonda Stove’s 40+ Wise Women Project is both a brilliantly emotive marketing campaign and a creative way to attract business, yet it is also an ode to the collective power and beauty of mature womanhood. The project is ‘a celebration of all women aged 40 and above. A chance to tell us your story, share your insights, courage and beauty.’

Make Your Walls Talk with Resene

Colour, design and texture are guaranteed to add instant visual interest and depth to your interior. We chat to Brooke Calvert, Resene Colour Consultant, about where to start.

Ditching the Birds and the Bees

Raising and supporting kids is a minefield and when it comes to talking about sex we often wonder where to begin. Claire Millichamp from Side by Side Therap y offers some advice.

Should we eat animals? Many voices say food from plants is enough. So who is right? Dr Roderick Mulgan ponders the important questions.

Knowing your hardwoods from your softwoods makes a big difference.

One of New Zealand’s iconic high-country stations, the 22,000-hectare Haldon Station in the Mackenzie Country, stars in a new book tracing its history, owners, managers and staff.

Give Jack Frost the cold shoulder with this easy-to-make ‘hottie’ coat made from recycled materials.

Protect your table and benchtops from hot pots and pans with this colourful trivet. Time to felt up and get rolling!

There’s a new player in Wellington Harbour cruising alongside the familiar red tugboats and lumbering Interislander ferries.

Solar panels are the visible sign of an off-grid power system, but at its heart is a little box with a big job.

For two years, this couple traveled in a Jeep throughout the Americas, the length of Africa and into many of Europe’s far-flung corners — often facing great danger. But the lessons they learned together on the road will drive them into an exciting future.