Consumers are finally pushing back against wasteful packaging, forcing companies to get creative in a way that’s boosting new, sustainable industries.

The other day my roommate brought home a couple of bacon-wrapped fillets for dinner. When it came time to throw them on the grill, I was shocked to find the meat duo ensconced in a horrible, rigid plastic blister pack. You know, the type normally reserved for electronics that usually results in a lot of swearing and brandishing of a kitchen knife? All for two, teeny little steaks.

Encouragingly, not all manufacturers are content to hand over pounds of unnecessary trash for you to figure out how to recycle. Over the past decade, companies have begun to realize that wasteful packaging is costly, and as consumers become more eco-aware, a strike against their brand. Some, like Dell, Coke, and Puma, are embracing alternative packaging materials that just a few years ago might have seemed like a joke. The result is a drastic reduction in waste, marketing clout, and the invigoration of low-impact industries.

1. Bioplastics and Biodegradable Plastics

The worst thing about petroleum-based plastic products and packaging is that it can take thousands of years to degrade in a landfill, all the while leaching toxic chemicals into the soil and water table. Biodegradable plastics are designed to break down much faster, and, assuming they’re made from friendlier ingredients, do so without poisoning the planet. Biodegradable plastics are susceptible to degradation by microorganisms, which is different from other forms of degradation, such as photo-degradation (from exposure to sunlight) and oxo-degradation (from exposure to high temperature and humidity).

Bioplastic, often confused for biodegradable plastic, is slightly different. Bio-based plastics are made wholly from renewable resources, such as cellulose, vegetable oils, sugar or starch. Wood, corn, potato, wheat, tapioca, and rice are some of the sources of resin for bio-based plastics. Bio-based plastics are not automatically bio-degradable, but can be so designed. This lower-impact material has been embraced by Coke and other beverage brands.

2. Mushroom Packaging

A New York company called Ecovative Design is responsible for re-introducing America to the magic of mushrooms–but not the hallucination-inducing kind. The company “grows” its Mushroom Packaging (pictured, top) using mycelium, a fungal network of threadlike cells. This mycelium grows around agricultural by-products like buckwheat husks, oat hulls, or cotton burrs. In 5 – 7 days, in the dark, with no watering, and no petrochemical inputs, the mycelium envelops the by-products, binding them into a strong and beautiful packaging material. This unique, compostable packaging material is already being used by Dell, Steelcase, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

3. Reuseable Packaging

It’s no accident that ‘reduce’ and ‘reuse’ come before ‘recycle’ in the list of eco-friendly actions. The most eco-friendly form of packaging is that which never exists in the first place. Puma demonstrated a brilliant application of this concept with its “Clever Little Bag”. The redesigned shoe box has no tissue paper, zero laminated printing, takes up less space than a traditional shoe box, and weighs significantly less when shipping. It’s house in a non-woven satchel that provides a handle for carrying the box home, and can then be reused indefinitely. A friend of mine actually uses hers to carry her mat shoes to kickboxing class, but it could just as easily double as a shopping bag or wine carrier.




Images: ecovative | 17Drew

The post 3 Exciting New Trends In Sustainable Packaging appeared first on EcoSalon.

Every coffee lover should own a transportable French press.

Our love for coffee is nothing new, and as the summer season kicks off, it’s time to celebrate by eating outside. That’s  why we are loving the limited edition Café Luxe Kit from Nau which combines the two.

Collaborating with Snowpeak, the limited edition package includes: a titanium café press, a titanium milk foamer, a titanium mug, a cutting board with integrated knife and a bag of Stumptown’s Holler Mountain coffee beans, a direct trade, organic blend of course. All reusable and stylish enough for the chicest urbanite.

Because what tastes better than a cup of coffee outdoors?

$125 from Nau.

Look for Lustables at EcoSalon and submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

The post Lustables: Nau Café Luxe Kit 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.

ColumnServe your food up simple with these 5 classics.

How often are we seduced by sexy packaging? All. The. Time.

We live in a disposable world, full of plastic forks, coffee cups and styrofoam takeout boxes. At the same time, everywhere we turn we’re tempted to improve our culinary prowess by investing in the latest and greatest in kitchen products, when most times, what we have at home in the cupboard will do us just fine. All that fancy packaging and array of designer plates do only one thing: take the focus away from food.

But fortunately, just like simpler foods are discovering a new found fame, even in the midst of a sea of ridiculous – and often useless – kitchen products, there are several classics that are making a comeback. These iconic, reusable designs, often easy to find second hand, mean your food will be the main focus and you won’t be contributing to the waste stream.

Glass jars

They’re not just for homemade jam anymore. Glass jars not only let us pay homage to the past, but also put the focus on the food instead of the packaging. Even rice looks better sitting on your counter if it’s in a classic wide mouthed glass jar with a simple metal clasp. And Mason jars are a foodie’s best friend. That’s why restaurants are eating them up, using them for everything from pate to desserts. Bring the style into your own home by adding small details like handwritten labels.

Your Grandmother’s China

You don’t need modern espresso cups and fancy machines that whip up machiattos. French press and classic coffee cups will do just fine thanks. It’s not just because Lady Gaga totes around tea cups as accessories that retro china is hip, it’s because it reminds us of a simpler, slower time. One where we took time out of our day to sit down with friends and spend a little time disconnecting from the real world and catching up. I’m personally a sucker for anything Scandinavian, like Marimekko, but any type of classic 50s coffee cups designs are in, so pull out the old porcelain and enjoy.

Fiestaware

It’s colorful, it’s simple, and it’s classic enough that you’ll never have to replace your dinnerware again. Just be aware when buying antique – the color in older versions comes from radioactive radionuclides.

Thermoses

Although a ceramic paper cup lookalike is trendy and all, if you really want to push the coffee envelope, track down a retro thermos. You can take it anywhere, you’re hot drink of choice stays warm, and it will add a little flair to your coffee break. And if you can’t find an old one, there are plenty of new ones on the market sure to please, like this one from VivaTerra.

Lunchboxes

If you’re still dragging your lunch to work in a paper bag, you’re out of the loop. Reusable is in, and for good reason. Opt for classic metal versions like the MC Snap from Innate, and if the the old school, metal box isn’t your look, go for something a little edgier like Bento Boxes, which have an ingenious design that employs both recycled content and keeps you from packing your food with a bunch of ziplocs and saran wrap.

When it comes to what you eat and what you serve it on, keep it simple, stupid.

Images: Stars Apart, Chicago Tribune, plyhm, Sarah Korf, VivaTerra, Innate Gear, Laptop Lunches,

The post Foodie Underground: 5 Simple Serving Classics appeared first on EcoSalon.

It’s been an interesting few weeks. UN meetings, talks with major film and television networks about filming my nonprofit’s expeditions as we sail around the world studying plastic in our oceans. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with the concept of global pollution in terms of scale. The scale of problems is often so big that the numbers cease to have meaning for the vast majority of people because they’re incomprehensibly large. So how do you do? Well, the answer is, you geek out. You run statistics and you do the math. So that’s what I did all weekend.

It’s no secret by now that I’m all about reducing synthetics in our lives. I try like hell to avoid plastics, even when I travel where water is sketchy. I’ll be reporting on a portable water radiating device I’ve obtained for my surf trip to Mexico in a few weeks – yup, I’m going to attempt to drink tap water to avoid plastic bottles – but why? Why are you so pathologically devoted to plastic pollution Stiv? Well, we all know there is garbage in the ocean that collects in places, and stays there forever. But we don’t know how much, because the amount is hard to noodle on. Here’s a an attempt to paint a picture for you.

The Scale of Global Plastic Pollution

Sailing across North Atlantic taught me something that all oceanographers know, but don’t necessarily say: the ocean is big and running the numbers on how much garbage is out there, proves to be a difficult task.

According to one prominent ocean scientist, SEA’s Giora Proskurowski, plastic is extremely diffuse and calculating its density isn’t very easy. Giora’s data states that concentration in The Atlantic gyre is about 50,000 .1g pieces per square kilometer on the surface. If we apply big math to that simply for the sake of getting an idea of scale, we get five kilograms per square kilometer or roughly 11-pounds per square kilometer on the surface. There are 316 million square kilometers of ocean surface. This makes for about 3.5-billion pounds of degraded plastic fragments fewer than 5mm in length on the surface of the ocean worldwide. Again, this is an extremely conservative estimate, extrapolating from a local data set to show the scale in the world. Giora’s work, for example, shows that plastic doesn’t just exist on the surface, it gets stratified within the water column, close to 90-feet down (not to mention all the types of plastic that sink, too, which is about half of the types manufactured). This estimate doesn’t include all the big pieces you find in various garbage patches within the gyres, but we’ll leave that weight out for now.

So, for the purposes of argument, let’s say that for each of those 90-feet of stratification, there is roughly the same weight per foot. Now we’re up to 315 billion pounds in the ocean. For comparison, The Gulf Spill is spewing roughly 2.5-million pounds of oil per day.

Cost of Cleanup, Hypothetical

A supertanker’s dead weight (amount of weight it can carry) is 500 million pounds. That would mean that to clean the ocean, you’d need to fill 630 oil supertankers to the brim at a cost of about $56,000 per each a day to charter (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development). Therefore, to cleanup the gyres (assuming there is actually technology out there to do it which as of today, nothing has been proven to work) we’re looking at a cost of at least about $35 million a day or roughly $13 billion a year. And about 17 percent of all the oil tankers in service in the world would have to be full-time devoted to cleaning it up.

Now let’s talk about the scale of waste. As of 1992, the world (5.5 billion people, which today has grown to seven billion) dumped 14 billion pounds of garbage in the ocean each year, with over half (at the very least) being synthetics. If we apply this statistic over 40 years – the plastics era in the limelight – we get a very similar number to the 315 billion pound number stated before of overall plastics in the ocean. Worldwide, we’re looking at one to three percent recycling rates on plastic, a number based on an industry that is governed by supply and demand. The plastics industry produces 250 billion pounds of virgin raw plastic pellets per year. Okay, so now we at least have an ‘some idea’ of what we’re dealing with.

Great! Now that I feel sick to my stomach, what can I do?

One American’s ‘garbage in the ocean’ footprint is about 600 (as of 1992) pounds annually. If you want to know precisely what your plastics in the ocean footprint is do a simple experiment: throw all your waste in the same bin for a week. Separate organic materials and synthetics. Determine the percentage of synthetics and apply that percentage to that 600 pound number, and you’ll know roughly how much damage your lifestyle causes on the ocean in terms of weight. Now, take some action. Look at your own waste stream and see which items you can avoid all together or replace with reusable alternatives. I promise you, you’ll be surprised at how much difference you can personally make. Now go to it!

The post Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death: YOUR Plastic Footprint appeared first on EcoSalon.

You’ve decided to up your game and green your urban nest. Before phoning that $150-an-hour architect who erected your sister’s efficient rectangular hillside dwelling, pick up this third revised source book, ecoDesign, from Chronicle Books. Inside, you’ll find more than 700 everyday consumer products, resourced by environmental educator and consultant, Alastair Fuad-Luke, a lecturer at Cranfield University in the UK.

The emphasis, naturally, is on recycled, recyclable, reusable and energy efficient. Don’t even worry about the taste factor, since everybody is getting into the game when it comes to upscale greenery. The Objects for Living section of this book showcases lighting fixtures, furniture, appliances, textiles and fashion, as well as transport, leisure and recreation. They are cool by virtue of being clever in material, sparing in application, ingenious in artistic composition. And some are affordable, which is for many of us is key.

The author backs up his selected inventory with words to live by: “As the products in this section illustrate, it is possible to tread more lightly on the planet, to consume and waste less, yet to maintain or even improve the quality of life.”

This is a user friendly source book – think detailed product information, a revised list of manufacturers, design studios and organizations committed to sustainability. (There’s also an extensive reference section defining new and hybrid materials that are outsourcing our petroleum-based past.)

Image: Chronicle Books

The post By the Book appeared first on EcoSalon.

Your iPod can run off the grid with this solar powered iPod Case Charger.

Give someone Wheels When They Need Them with a ZipCar membership.

Great for hot and cold beverages, this tumbler will save a lot of trees and CO2 used to produce coffee cups. To emphasize your point, toss in a gold tone coffee filter to cut down on the paper ones that get pitched each day.

Your favorite tea lover can brew on the run with this combination tumbler-infuser.

Green those meals with a CSA Membership (Community Supported Agriculture). This site will find the closet farm throughout the U.S. for you to purchase from.

Rid friends and family of energy vampires with the Smart Strip Power Strip.

Power small electronics like a GPS or cell phone, with the Solio Solar Universal Charger.

Get your colleagues to ditch the plastic utensils in the office kitchen with reusable bamboo tableware that works great on the go. Utensil holders give plastic bottles a second shot at a useful life, and an opportunity to stay out of our landfills. Made out of RPET (recycled PET plastic).

Chico has taken the reusable shopping bag one step farther with The Messenger, a super hip bag that folds into a small pouch.

Instead of a gift card to the local mall, try the gift that keeps on giving with Microplace.com, a Microfinance organization that serves a range of focuses from Fair Trade to women.

Main image: alan_cleaver2000

The post From Cheap to Chic, 10 Holiday Gifts That Respect the Earth appeared first on EcoSalon.

So you’re not a mug-toter. You find those large, billy-club like coffee containers to be bulky and awkward, not to mention that you have to carry them around or they sit in your car all day leaving a foul scent of retribution for having been abandoned. But there are other options – which also make thoughtful and unique gifts.

First is the I Am Not a Paper Cup created by artist James Burgess. The white porcelain cup comes with a white silicone lid for sipping while driving, or better yet, taking public transportation or walking. It’s small, always in fashion, and can be rinsed and tucked in a messenger bag and reused during your lunch break.

Another perfect size design is modeled after the iconic 1963 Greek New York City Coffee Cup which boasts “We Are Happy to Serve You” for $9.99. You, too, can have an item that is also being sold in New York City’s  Museum of Modern Art. Made of lead-free earthenware, the 10-ounce cup is microwave and dishwasher safe.

Last on my list is Michel Harvey’s reproduction of the paper cup with corrugated heat insulator for $15.00.

Now there’s no excuse for having a smelly car, or contributing to the landfill.

The post To-Go Cups That Keep on Going appeared first on EcoSalon.