Don’t get it twisted, tea towels are the handiest kitchen must have around.

Tea towels are one of those ubiquitous must-haves in the kitchen that most of us probably don’t think about until we need one, but tea towels are the workhorses of the kitchen. Not only can they be used to dry dishes, but they also have a multitude of uses in the kitchen.

• Cleaning up spills
• Covering rising dough
• Lining baskets filled with bread or fruit
• Teapot cozy
• Potholders
• Absorbent surface for drying greens
• Apron stand in
• Keep mixing bowls steady and cutting boards from sliding

In addition, tea towels may not seem that sexy, but they are a critical part in controlling the havoc that paper towels and other throwaway paper products exact on our environment. Reusable towels are a cost-effective way to deal with spills and kitchen cleanup. It’s also possible to find towels made from eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton, linen, and bamboo.

Tea towels also make awesome host or housewarming gifts as evidenced by the aforementioned usefulness, but they also easily personalized to your giftees decor and/or interests. Believe it or not, it’s possible to find towels decorated with everything from hand-embroidered flowers to screen printed song lyrics.

Whether you are in the market for some more tea towels, or need some onhand housewarming and host gifts, read on to discover some fun tea towels.

Fun & Eco-friendly Tea Towels

1. Cat Tea Towel

Pay attention cat people, here is a towel just for you. Made from organic cotton and screenprinted with eco-friendly inks.

2. Shop Local

This towel offers a  reminder to shop local and support your local farmers and businesses. Keep it your hood.

3. Linen Towels

For simplicity’s sake, consider using plain linen towels. Linen fabric is made from flax and is an eco-friendly alternative to other types of textiles.

4. Kitchen Conversion Towel

It’s already a well-established fact that kitchen towels are handy, but this towel takes the cake. It features all sorts of recipe conversions, like dry and liquid measurements, temperature conversions, and more.

5. Etiquette Towel

In the same vein, this towel breaks down some of the most important rules of etiquette. This just might be a good gift for the passive-aggressive among you.

Related on EcoSalon

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The post Tea Towels: the Un-Paper Towel Workhorse of the Kitchen appeared first on EcoSalon.

If all U.S. households installed low-flow fixtures with water-saving features, the result would be an estimated savings of 5.4 billion gallons of water per day, according to DrinkTap.org. And with 38.8 million California residents in the midst of what may equate to being the worst drought in history, every drop does count, which is why we’ve provided you with some excellent low-flow fixture options for kitchens and baths.

Saving the environment and everything that comes along with it, like decreasing water consumption, may seem cliché, but if you are one of California’s many inhabitants, then you may be dealing with the unfortunate consequences of what happens when the well (literally) starts to run dry.

Whether you’re in the midst of the shortage, or still organizing your water-guzzling slip and slide lawn parties, then listen up, because this is a resource that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

With restrictions so extreme, rather than risk paying a fine for watering their lawns or consuming unnecessary resources, some Californians have resorted to painting their dried, brown bits of brittle formerly known as grass an acceptable shade of green just to maintain some curb appeal – and that’s only the superficial aspect of things.

In addition to cosmetic work, there are many other factors contributing to this water shortage. Agricultural use jeopardizes a large chunk of California’s water supply, and farmers are relying more and more on communal groundwater. In addition to their stressed out natural water resources, fracking is also to blame for this disaster of a drought.

But before you start blasting “Purple Rain” and jumping around on one foot while praying for a monsoon, get a grip on reality, and make a commitment to start saving some water (and your reputation) the easy way.

Conserving water can be done glamorously, with the addition of beautiful new low-flow fixtures, or by simply making a few quick economical modifications that will have you on your way to conserving water in an afternoon’s time. In addition to a clearer conscience and more resources to go around, you will also be saving some dough in the process. Think of it this way: less water equals more shoes. Now that’s a win-win!

When you’re perusing the aisles for your new low-flow items, keep these tidbits in mind:

• Toilet flushing uses the most water in the average home
• The majority of folks flush five times a day, adding up to 31 percent of overall water consumption
• Most older toilets use 3.6 gallons per flush, but can easily and cheaply be reduced to 3 gallons per flush
• Faucets consume around 15-18 percent of the overall water use in the average four-person home
• Find a faucet aerator that uses 1.5 gallons per minute or less, and save up to 3,150 gallons of water per year
• Shower heads below 2.5 gallons per minute will save you approximately 10 gallons of water per 20 minute shower

Still not sure where to begin? No worries – we’ve got you covered! Below you’ll find several stylish low-flow fixture ideas for kitchens and baths designed to accommodate a range of budgets.

Under $1000: Low-Flow Fixtures for Kitchens and Baths

Moen and TOTO, two environmentally conscious plumbing suppliers, are fans among the style conscious as well. The sleek STo kitchen faucet from Moen uses a 1.5 gallon per minute aerator and meets CalGreen and Georgia SB370 requirements. The Moen 90 Degree low-flow faucet also uses 1.5 gallons per minute, and the 90 Degree handheld shower fixture uses 1.75 gallons per minute. Finally, we have the water-conserving throne from high-end potty maker, TOTO. This two-piece toilet gives its users both 1.28 and 0.9 gallons per flush options, is WaterSense certified, and CalGreen compliant.

1. STo Stainless Steel Kitchen Faucet by Moen $910; 2. 90 Degree Brushed Nickel Bathroom Faucet by Moen $806; 3. 90 Degree Brushed Nickel Handheld Shower Head by Moen $537; 4. Connelly Colonial White Two-Piece Toilet by TOTO $650.

Under $300: Low-Flow Fixtures for Kitchens and Baths

From the familiar neighborhood Home Depot comes four additional low-flow kitchen and bath fixtures. The first is an ultra-shiny, low-flow kitchen faucet with detachable spray head that uses 1.8 gallons per minute. Next is the affordable and stylish Alteo bathroom collection. This three piece faucet uses 1.5 gallons per minute, and the showerhead uses 2.0 gallons per minute; both are WaterSense approved. The last fixture is a WaterSense approved, conservation conscious commode using a miniscule 1.28 gallons per flush and saves its owner up to 16,500 gallons per year when compared to an old 3.5 gallon toilet.

1. Simplice Polished Chrome Kitchen Faucet by KOHLER $167; 2. Alteo Polished Chrome Bathroom Faucet by KOHLER $151; 3. Alteo Polished Chrome Shower Collection by KOHLER $82; 4. Highline Water-Conserving Toilet by KOHLER $168.

Under $20: Low-Flow Fixtures for Kitchens and Baths

If you’re strapped for cash, or just satisfied with the fixtures you currently have, then look no further than these water saving kitchen and bathroom modifications. The first item is an aerator that easily attaches to most faucets and brings water consumption down to 0.5 gallons per minute. The next is an affordable standard shower head that, at 1.5 gallons per minute, can compete with the big boys in terms of water savings. Lastly, we have what is essentially a bladder-like reservoir that fits inside of your toilet tank. It’s better looking than a brick and also saves you around half a gallon of water with every flush.

1. Water Saving PCA Faucet Aerator by NEOPERL $3; 2. Eco-Friendly Shower Head by Pfister $13; 3. Toilet Tummy Tank Water Saver by AM Conservation Group $6.

Whether you’re broke, or prefer to spend money like the water you waste, there’s room in your life for some new low-flow fixtures in your kitchen and bath. Enlist your husband, partner, handyman, or plan a get together with your bestie and install a new water saving fixture. You’d better act quickly though…when you’re suddenly faced with a sea of paint swatches trying to decide which shade of green you should spray paint your lawn, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Related on EcoSalon

5 Long-Term Ways to Combat the California Drought

The Coming Global Water Crisis And 3 Ways To Deal With It

Eco-Friendly Homes Can Be Affordable, With Robin Wilson on Your Side

Running water image via Shutterstock

The post Every Drop Counts: Low-Flow Fixtures for Kitchens and Baths appeared first on EcoSalon.

Just in time for holiday shopping and gift giving: The Box is back!

Our exclusive EcoSalon shopping must-have, the curated eco product assortment known as The Box, is back, with the Holiday Food Box. We’re offering $500 worth of holiday eco-goodies for just $99 and these won’t last. That’s a guarantee.

Are you a food lover? Whether you love eating food, cooking it or just talking about it, this box is for you. It’s full of anything a foodie could ever want, from cookware to gourmet goods to shade-grown coffee, so be sure to snag one before they’re gone.

(If you do miss out this time around, our friends at The Daily Meal are hosting a giveaway for the last remaining Food Box standing. Head on over to their site and register to win!)

Just look at what we have in store for you this time around:

Slate Cheese Board

Serve up a round of artisan cheeses on this simple and functional Slate Cheese Board from VivaTerra. Chalk lets you introduce guests to new cheeses with style. And don’t think this board is reserved for cheese only; the modern design makes it the perfect serving platter for everything from charcuterie to chocolate, so get creative!

(Retail value of $69)

Mortar and pestle

Made from 100% organically-grown bamboo, this bamboo mortar and pestle from Core Bamboo will brighten up any kitchen. Now you’ll be able to make handmade pesto, crush mint for your mojitos and grind together fresh herbs for garnish. Unstoppable, mama.

(Retail value of $37.50)

2 pounds of coffee from Coffee CSA

Now that you get your kale, chard and carrots thanks to a C.S.A., why not your coffee? Coffee CSA makes sure that you get the best selection of coffee directly from small-scale farms. No middlemen, just farmers and people like you who love great coffee. You’ll get two pounds of fresh-roasted premium coffee delivered right to your doorstep.

(Retail value of $29.98 – $32.98, depending on the coffee farmer selected.)

Bamboo Bottle Company Reusable Bottle

This isn’t your your mother’s water bottle. With a unique design that uses bamboo and glass, Bamboo Bottle Company has created a bottle that will not only keep you far, far away from disposables, but you can fill it with hot and cold drinks alike, meaning you can go from coffee in the morning to water in the afternoon. The glass interior is removable and dishwasher safe so keeping your bottle clean is easy. Cheers!

(Retail value of $25.00)

Wei of Chocolate

We all know that chocolate makes us feel better, but Wei of Chocolate just might go above and beyond your normal cocoa expectations. Wei Relaxed dark chocolate is organic, fair trade, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, 68% cacao, and enhanced with flower essences that work to calm & relax the mind and help you sleep better at night. Who knew chocolate could do so much?

(Retail value of $11.00)

Night Owl Paper Goods Recipe Card Books

Keep all your recipes in one place with this cute recipe card book from Night Owl Paper Goods. 24 recipe cards printed on a letterpress are held inside a sustainably-harvested birch wood cover, and with a self-standing easel is easy enough to prop up when you’re in the midst of your culinary creations.

(Retail value of $26.00)

D.I.Y. Delicious by Vanessa Barrington

If you follow EcoSalon’s food section, we’re pretty sure you’re fans of homemade food. Cooking from scratch not only puts good food on the table, but it allows you to experiment. EcoSalon’s very own food columnist, Vanessa Barrington, leads the way through the homemade cooking process in her book D.I.Y. Delicious, full of new explorations – ever made yogurt? – and simple solutions to the question, “Can’t I make that myself?”

(Retail value of $24.95)

Recipes Every Man Should Know by Susan Russo

There are just some things men should know how to do. Cooking is certainly one of them. Here’s the perfect gift for your husband/boyfriend/lover/brother/nephew/next door neighbor, because every man should know a thing or two in the kitchen. Penned by one of our favorite food bloggers, Susan Russo, this is the down and dirty guide for ensuring that a man can easily navigate the wide world of food. Fingers crossed you get to reap the benefits!

(Retail value of $9.95)

Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Hazelnut Chai

Making tea is an art, and Zhena’s Gypsy Tea does it well. 100% organic and 100% Fair-Trade certified, this container of 22 sachets of Hazelnut Chai is sure to become your winter favorite. Think of it as a hazelnut torte, turned into a tea. Brew a batch and within minutes your house will be smelling of cinnamon, ginger and vanilla.

(Retail value of $9.95)

Fat Toad Farm Caramel Sauce

If ever there were a sauce you’d want to put on everything, this is it. Made from organic goat’s milk, Fat Toad Farm’s caramel sauce is creamy, rich and flat-out amazing. A family farm, Fat Toad’s 47 milking does are pasture-raised, their milk used for making cheese and caramel, or cajeta. Because this form of caramel is primarily dairy based, it’s creamier and less sweet than standard caramel sauces. Be careful not to down the entire jar on one apple.

(Retail value of $12.00)

Twig Servers

A gorgeously prepped salad should have equally gorgeous serving utensils, and these Twig Servers from VivaTerra are just what you need. Nature-inspired, they’re a chic complement to an organic meal, and their design makes them fit perfectly in your hands. Now it’s just up to you to serve up a mean bowl of greens.

(Retail value of $45)

Innate Gear Doppio

Espresso, wine, whisky; this reusable mug from Innate Gear does it all. Throw it in your bag and you’ll always have something to put your afternoon Americano in, even if you’re on the go. And it’s called a Doppio. Which is just adorable.

(Retail value of $9)

Bambu On the Go Reusable Utensils

Aspenware Compostable Cutlery  

Spring and summer picnics are a ways away, but you’ll be well prepared with two sets of Aspenware compostable cutlery. With four spoons, forks and knives in each set, you’ll be able to outfit an army. Or at least all your eco-friendly friends.

(Retail value of $2.99 per pack)

Full Circle Ring Veggie Brush

Scrub your veggies clean with this Ring Veggie Brush from Full Circle. Made from bamboo and natural and recycled plastic bristles, it’s an ergonomic dream and will also ensure that your veggies have that fresh look even after the supermarket wax has been scraped away.

(Retail value of $4.49)

Architec Mixing Bowls

If you’re cooking organic, shouldn’t your kitchenware be just as environmentally conscious? These stacking mixing bowls from Architec are the perfect plastic alternative. Made from 98% natural and recycled materials, the two, three and four quart set will satisfy all your baking needs. We foresee a delicious batch of chocolate chip cookies already.

(Retail value of $29.99)

Epicurean Cutting Board

Slice and dice in style with this 12″ x 9″ EcoPlastic cutting board from Epicurean. Not only is this board made from recycled poly, but it’s also made in the USA, ensuring you can chop your vegetables with a good conscience.

(Retail value of $19.99)

Lodestar Garlic Olive Oil

If you’re attending any good dinner parties in the next few weeks this Lodestar Farms Garlic Olive Oil from Greenfeet makes the perfect hostess gift. This award winning olive oil is made with sustainably harvested olives in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and can be used for everything from dressings to dipping.

(Retail value of $13.95)

Stainless Steel Robot Tea Infuser

Steep your evening cup of tea in this fun, Stainless Steel Robot Tea Infuser from Greenfeet. The arms and feet move to fit your favorite tea mug. In need of more fun eco-friendly kitchen products? Check out the rest of the Greenfeet site for a wide selection of culinary goods.

(Retail value of $8.95)

Navitas Naturals Power Snacks

Power up with one of these Power Snacks from Navitas Natural. This isn’t your average trail mix; superfoods are the name of the game in these snack mixes, which feature cacao, maca, chia, and camu-camu. Easy to pack, they’re perfect for staying energized while you’re traveling this holiday season. Plus they’re raw and organic, which should please anyone looking for an on-the-go natural boost.

(Retail value of $8.99)

Bird Salt and Pepper Shakers

These whimsical salt and pepper shakers from VivaTerra will bring a smile to any guest at your table. And if you don’t want them for your own home, they make a beautiful gift for any bird lover in your crew.

(Retail value of $25)

To buy:

We’re sorry, this Box edition has sold out! Check out the other available options – they’re pretty fabulous, too.

The post The Holiday Food Box: Because Everyone Loves Food Edition! appeared first on EcoSalon.

The kitchen could be considered the hub of a home. It’s the spot where people congregate at parties, despite protests from the hostess; it’s the place a family gathers to break bread as often as three times a day.

There are all types of kitchens. We’ve shown you recycled or sustainable parts and entire islands of green. But I can’t recall setting my eyes on living or growing.

The Flow2 kitchen isn’t for the faint of heart. It gets down and dirty; it reveals the cycle of life from potted plants to edible food to composted waste to fertile fertilizer to potted plants. And round we go.

It’s a cool, cutting edge concept by the Oregon-based Studio Gorm team of John Arndt and Wonhee Jeong. And it’s their second go of it. The first kitchen, Flow or the kitchen of terrestrial mechanics, was Arndt’s graduate degree project.

Updated and more flexible, the designers have taken the idea of conservation and efficient living (or eating or cooking or growing) to a new level.

Case in point (see image above): The hanging dish rack drips water on the herbs and plants arranged below. The refrigerator is cooled via an evaporation cooling process (sounds fancy, but it involves H2O and not much more), rejecting the need for a large energy-guzzling fridge. There’s a cutting board that slides away to reveal a composting bin below with live worms read to nosh. And the list goes on.

The flow of Flow2 is indeed seamless, but is it feasible or just a fantasy? Whatever it is, it’s cutting edge…and just a concept for now. Time will surely tell.

– via Dezeen

The post Cutting Edge Concept: the Flow2 Kitchen appeared first on EcoSalon.

I’m always looking for ways to burn calories while living life off the elliptical.

A Swiss friend tells me her mother always did core exercises while driving. I’ve tried those crunches behind the wheel, as well as kegel tightening during pregnancy and stretching the burgeoning turkey neck with a series of juts and releases of my chin in slow traffic. The neck thing is a bit pathetic. I’m certain passersby think I’m a crazed soccer mom with a terrible tick.

Truth be told, I prefer lifestyle burning in the seclusion of my own house, including the kitchen, where I’m totally willing to work for food.

Here are a few ways to burn while your churn, spin, scrub and whisk. Get your kids into the act, as well, for family fun and fitness. Even Martha Stewart would agree the eco-kitchen workout is a good thing.

1. The Salad Spin Arm Rotation

We tend to get lazy relying on the prewashed lettuces at the market. My husband reminds me that’s how cases of salmonella have occurred from bags not really washed so well. Instead, wash it yourself, and spin in a good eco fiber spinner, such as the nifty bamboo bowl from Cooking. You will tone your biceps (say goodbye to that jiggly upper arm flab) and gain wrist strength from the crank or pull cord. Your reward will be a healthier salad with low calorie dressing. Opt for lettuce like arugula which takes extra effort to dry. Spin away, sexy mama!

2. Floor Scrub Cardio Boost

Get down on your hands and knees, you, and start scrubbing away the extra pounds that piled up while you were lazy using that mop. Benefits include having a floor clean enough to eat off of. And, you probably will just grab a bite from the fridge while you are on the floor, since you will be too exhausted to get up and eat lunch. I once heard a Weight Watchers leader (a nutritionist at Stanford) say scrubbing the kitchen floor is how she builds up her cardio endurance. Use a safe product, like Earth Friendly Floor Cleaner or BILO wax/polish to help get the job done, along with reusable towels instead of disposables.

3. Refrigerator Wipe Down Lunges

You don’t have to bend over backwards to clean the shelves of your refrigerator, but you can do some nice lunges removing the compartments and getting them as spanking clean as this Energy Star appliance from the Eco Fridge company. Your friends will envy your sense of order and your shapely thighs. You can also stretch the calves and toe muscles reaching those higher shelves. When you’re done, eat an orange. You deserve it.

4. Washing and Drying by Hand

I remember so well doing dishes by hand in my college apartment sans a dishwasher. I was so slim. Wait, I also ran about four miles a day. Anyway, the old wipe-on, wipe-off saves lots of water and energy and gets that heart pumping. Heck, you can work up quite a lather scrubbing those pots, sister! Whistle while you work and burn even more C’s. Try using a green dishsoap, like the fragrant Nancy Boy, and organic flour sack towels for wiping like this set from Williams-Sonoma.

5. Hunt and Gather and Make From Scratch Marathon

Try following Martha’s example of making an entire meal by scratch, from the harvesting of organic veggies and fruit from your yard (think slow simmering casseroles in the crock pot or homemade pies) to the kneading of your bread and preparation of your own delicious pasta or free range meat dish. It’s a lot of work but you never heard those pioneer women kvetch, did ya? Invite the kids to help because they love to cook and need exercise, too.

The post The Eco Kitchen Workout: How to Burn While You Churn to Stay Lean & Green appeared first on EcoSalon.