It's exciting to see more and more alternatives to disposable plates and cutlery appear on the market. Bamboo Studio has introduced a line of biodegradeable dinnerware:
Bamboo Studio is a revolutionary all-occasion dinnerware that is both disposable and reusable. Handcrafted from the sheath of the emerging bamboo plant, these dynamic new serving pieces are elegant, strong, and environmentally friendly.
Strong and leak resistant
Handcrafted from Bamboo sheath
No harsh chemicals or bleaches are used
Requires little energy to make and Bamboo is 100% biodegradable
Bamboo Studio's organic certification is pending. What makes these bamboo plates unique is that they are made from the sheath of the plant, so the living bamboo is not harmed. The sheath also has a beautiful texture. This dinnerware is longer lasting and sturdier than typical paper plates, besides it is far more aesthetically pleasing.
I remember stainless steel ice cube trays from my grandmother's house. These throwbacks from the 50s provide a modern day safe alternative to plastic ice cube trays. My kids think the handle that releases the ice is super cool, and I like how the metal actually seems to make the ice harden faster. At $25 a piece, these ice cube trays are more expensive than their plastic counterparts, but the stainless steel ice cube trays will last a lifetime (I bet my grandmother's trays are still in her home).
Kiss My Face Natural and Organic Shimmers and Shines for Kissable Lips
Kiss My Face's newest natural, organic products are for your lips! Sheer Organic Shine and Sheer Organic Shimmer are 100% natural, 91% organic, and made from natural minerals. Vitamins A and E help protect and heal your lips, and the colors are beautiful. There are six shades of "glorious glosses" and six "tempting tints". They even contain stevia!
I've been suffering from chapped lips for days, and the Sheer Organic Shine is very soothing and healing. The organic hint of mint or vanilla flavor is delightful, and the shea butter and jojoba oil moisturizing. Of course, since these new lip products are from Kiss My Face, they do not contain parabens, SLS, phthalates, synthetic colors or flavors, animal ingredients or testing.
Terracycle Upcycles Record Albums and Circuit Boards into Picture Frames, Coasters and Clocks
I love Terracycle, as they are really trying to take hard to recycle items and upcycle them into new products. The most recent products to come out in March feature record albums and circuit boards.
TerraCycle, Inc., the ultimate eco-friendly brand, is introducing the first nationally distributed product line made from upcycled vinyl records and circuit boards. These products are unique and environmentally responsible because they are made from materials that have been rescued from the world's waste stream and would have ended up in already overflowing landfills.
Technology progresses at an astounding rate and a trail of trash is close in tow. Every time consumers upgrade their PC, TV, stereo, or other electronics, they add to the colossal stream of e-waste. In 2005, Americans generated 2.6 million tons of e-waste according to the EPA1. Of this amount, only 12.6% was recycled. Continuing the Trash Revolution, TerraCycle reuses circuit boards to create new products.
With the prevalence of digital media and portable music players, (and CD's before that) vinyl records have truly fallen by the wayside. While serious collectors hang on to their vintage discs, the average person is disposing of the records that have been collecting dust in the attic.
These unique, upcycled products will retail at an affordable price of $12.95.
TerraCycle has Done it Again! Eco-Friendly School and Office Supplies
We love TerraCycle! Not only does this company create amazing products from upcycled goods, they also make them available in large retailers making them easily accessible to all consumers. TerraCycle has done it again! Available at Office Max, TerraCycle is offering eco-friendly school and office supplies. From pencil cases made from recycled juice pouches to colored pencils made from used newspapers, these products are of high quality and super eco-friendly (except for the manufacture in China). My favorite TerraCycle office product is Banana Paper.
We're not monkeying around when we tell you that this paper is made from banana peels! Every year, four billion trees are cut down for paper production. With our banana paper, we can begin to lower that number. Now you can be completely eco-friendly without going bananas over quality.
The banana paper is made in the UK, and to my daughter's disappointment, it does not smell like bananas. It is compatible with laser printers, ink jet printers, and copy machines. To think, all I do is compost my banana peels.
CG Kidz Stainless Steel Water Bottles: Green Stuff, By Kids, for Kids
Everyone knows bottled water is bad for the environment, and kids like fun water bottles. CG Kidz makes stainless steel water bottles just for kids, by kids. In fact, the CG Kidz water bottle was designed by 11-year-old Riley Hoffer. Riley also manages the website, which is:
A place where kids of all ages can talk about the environment, products that are important to use at home, school and in their communities. Kids can read the latest in news and important facts as well as review a few products that Riley herself has evaluated.
My son loves his CG Kidz stainless steel water bottle, and he gets lots of compliments on it by kids and adults alike. He has abandoned his Klean Kanteen sippy cup for this big boy water bottle. He likes that the lid unscrews like Mommy's water bottle, and the carabiner on the lid makes it easy to latch on to any backpack or lunch bag.
Biodegradable Verterra Dinnerware Made from Fallen Leaves
Verterra is perhaps the most eco-friendly dinnerware product I have ever come across! These unique bowls and plates are biodegradable, chemical-free, non-toxic, sustainable, renewable, microwave oven and refrigerator safe, reusable, and compostable. Best of all, they are made from fallen leaves! No trees are cut down to make this dinnerware, and Verterra products naturally break down in two months.
From start to finish, the impact we make on the earth is our top priority. We start by collecting fallen leaves from plantations without cutting down any trees. Normally, these leaves would be burned on the side of the road. Instead, they are brought to our factory, sprayed with high pressure water, steamed and UV sterilized. We recapture over 80% of the water we use. No chemicals, lacquers, glues, bonding agents or anything toxic are ever used. The entire process uses only a fraction of the energy used in recycling.
Wow! Who would have thought that compressed fallen leaves could be used for dinnerware?
I have my reusable shopping bags, but my green grocery store experience always falls short at the produce counter. I try to reuse those plastic produce bags, but they get funky and I hate using them. I have bought produce without using bags, but I worry about germs from the grocery cart or the checkout counter coming in contact with food. I have finally found a solution: Bag Green Reusable Produce Bags.
Bag Green produce bags are made of 100% eco-friendly cotton. They are shipped in recycled newspaper packaging, and a portion of each sale is donated to a non-profit organization devoted to preserving the environment. I used my Bag Green produce bag at the farmer's market the other day, and it felt good to refuse a brown or plastic bag. The only thing that would make Bag Green better is if they bags were made from organically grown cotton. Bag Green produce bags close the loop on eco-friendly grocery shopping!
All natural shaving oil made by Pacific Shaving Company is the perfect product for the green man or woman that shaves. Shaving creams lather due to aeration, and this creates less lubrication against your skin causing irritation. In contrast, shaving oils are smooth and eliminate nicks and razor burn. You only need to use 6-8 drops, and one small bottle lasts for 100 shaves. Made from all natural essential oils,this shaving oil will not clog pores and comes in a recyclable bottle.
LeFP Green Body Care - All Natural Anti-Monster Spray for Kids
We had the pleasure of encountering a line of all natural products at the recent Down 2 Earth Boston show that truly blew us away. LeFP Green Body Care features not only all natural cosmetics and products for women - but also some unique products for the kids in your life. For our 18 month and 4 year old - we got to try out the Anti-Monster spray. Sure it doesn't sound all that natural, but it is.
The idea is to get your kids to spray these anti-viral products and repel monsters and scary ghosts at the same time helping to reinforce your child's immune system with wonderful essential oils. So far it seems to be working around our house, and we love all the different scents it comes in too. Mist this in the room, the bed, sheet, pillows and pajamas for an instant anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect. You can check out all the ingredients for the Anti-Monster Spray and also read more about the LeFP philosophy here.
We can't wait to try some of their other products soon as well.
Home cleaning products can be a source of poor indoor air quality, thus it is really important to use the non-toxic, natural cleaners in your home, especially if you have a greywater system, like I do. Solay Simple, made by Solay Wellness, makes a multitude of cruelty-free, biodegradable, unscented, and non-toxic cleaning products. All of these products are "100% free of petroleum based or other hazardous ingredients, SLS, fragrances, phosphates, animal by products, dyes and other common triggers for respiratory or skin irritations."
Natural All Purpose Cleaner with Himalayan Salts: This product is great for cleaning anything in your home! It is made from purified water, sugar derived water conditioning agent, coconut derived surfactant blend, ethyl alcohol (derived from corn), and Himalayan salt. I am not too sure about the coconut derived surfactant blend, as this sounds similar to sodium lauryl sulfate; however, the label clearly states it is SLS free.
Solay Simple Dish Soap: This dish soap works well, but don't expect big suds (that's the lack of SLS). Just three ingredients (purified water, coconut derived surfactant blend, and Himalayan salt) keep your dishes clean and your family healthy.
Solay Simple Fruit and Veggie Wash: I've never seen much need for a separate product for cleaning fruits and veggies, since I eat organically and figure dish soap is safe for this purpose, but I have to say, this fruit and veggie wash came in handy when I was cleaning Jerusalem artichokes from the garden. It is made from purified water, coconut derived surfactant, citric acid (derived from citrus fruits,) and Himalayan salt.
Laundry Soap with Himalayan Salt: There are a lot of laundry soaps out there now claiming to be "eco-friendly", but many of them are not all natural. Solay Simple Laundry Soap is made from purified water, coconut derived surfactant blend, soy based fabric softener, and cellulose derived optical brightener, and Himalayan salt.
All Solay Simple cleaning products are made in the USA and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Solay Wellness also donates donates money and products to several non profit organizations around the world.
Since 2001, Cereplast (cereal + plastic) has been making plant-based resins used to make compostable and biodegradable plates, cups, and utensils, which break down after 180 days. With many California cities and countries in Europe and Asia banning polystyrene, the demand for eco-friendly plastics is on the rise. Made from U.S.-farmed corn, wheat, and potato with tapioca grown in Africa and Asia, Cereplast does not use any genetically modified plants. Cereplast bioplastic prices are competitive, especially as petroleum prices rise.
This compact, durable and user-friendly composter is sure to please. Aeration occurs through small openings in the drum, and the lockable lid prevents access to the compost by small animals. The drum is indented for easy gripping and rolling, and the base is able to collect up to 5 gallons of liquid fertilizer or compost tea.
It's nice to see apple actually think through a product from the circuit board to the packaging. The Macbook Air features an Aluminum case, and a mercury-free and arsenic-free glass display. The circuit boards are BFR free and PVC free, and best of all the packaging has 56% less volume than the regular MacBook. Not too shabby. .
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