Stainless Steel Straws

These stainless steel straws are practical, durable alternatives to plastic straws. They have all the functionality of the bendy disposable straws without the waste and they also look pretty cool!  Made of 18/10 stainless steel. $9.95 for set of 4.

Bonus: $4.95 flat rate shipping with code “BELLS”

Find It Here: Reuseit

Peopletowels

Did you know the average person uses between 2,400 and 3,000 paper towels a year? Tote these reusable alternatives to paper towels instead. Made from 100% certified organic Fair Trade cotton, these extra-absorbent and lightweight hand towels are made to curb your paper towel usage at the gym, work, in the car or in public facilities. Comes with their own bag for portability. Set of 2 for $16

Bonus: Printed with non-toxic dyes

Find It Here: Uncommon Goods

3D Garden Pinwheels

A modern spin on the traditional garden fixture, these stainless steel stunners add fun and style to your landscape. Designed in Germany. 2 sizes available for $16-$20

Find It Here:  Uncommon Goods

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Parties are notorious for consumption and waste but there are things you can do to green your party and be kinder to the environment. Remember, going green is not an all or nothing proposition—do what you can and it’ll help in the long run.

Recycle: Don’t let a party keep you from recycling. Provide plenty of refuse containers for garbage and recyclables and label them so that it is clear what kind of waste goes in it. The best containers are those that require some action or thought on the part of the user, like lifting a lid, stepping on a pedal or opening a cabinet (trust me, I got a masters degree in this stuff).

This simple act forces your guests to think and notice your recycling sign. If you have these types of containers and label them correctly, you’ll limit misplaced items. If you don’t, just use any containers and label the heck out of it. You’ll still get misplaced items but it’s better than nothing. Read the rest of this entry »

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What: Divided platter for kids

Features: Din Din Smart’s adorably fun divided platter is made of stainless steel and shaped like a super cute school bus. Equally awesome, the five compartments keep food from sliding and mixing. Confession: I dig these so much  that I kind of want one for myself.

Green Factor: These non-toxic platters are BPA, PVC, phthalate and lead-free. Made with high quality food grade 304 stainless steel, they’re durable and can be passed on when your kids outgrow them.

Bonus: Din Din Smart platters are dishwasher safe and stain-resistant.

Find It Here: Innobaby

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What: Upcycled vintage silverware by Sycamore Hill

Features: Gorgeous vintage silver utensils are engraved with clever phrases and words. There are so many to choose from so make sure you look at everything—they would make great gifts (a hint to my husband)!

Green Factor: Sycamore Hill gives new life to old silver pieces by upcycling them into these fun, eclectic, one-of-a-kind conversation pieces!

Bonus: You can make custom requests!

Find It Here: KK Designs by Sycamore Hill

This Week’s Giveaway: Kill A Watt EZ

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What: Compostable dinnerware

Features: Disposable plates, bowls, cups, utensils and more made from natural materials like bamboo, sugarcane, wheat straw and cornstarch that will biodegrade and are safe to compost.

Green Factor: None of it is made from plastic, which conserves fossil fuels and keeps plastic garbage from polluting our oceans or sitting in landfills for the next 500+ years

Bonus: Buy it in bulk at Amazon.com and save yourself some green.

Find It Here: Amazon.com

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A few years ago, I’d read that some of the cheaper dinnerware produced in China was turning up with lead in it. I looked at my inexpensive and chipped (but very pretty) dinnerware and got a little concerned. Rather than spend a couple hundred dollars on what I really wanted, which was a set of lead-free Fiestaware for eight, I decided that until I could find something made in the US that was also not ugly or ridiculously expensive, I’d go with something simple and safe—glass.

I looked at a few department stores and didn’t find much in the way of glass and what I did find felt flimsy so I decided to check my local thrift stores. I didn’t find any complete sets but I did find tons of glass pieces in a variety of patterns and suddenly it hit me…I didn’t need a matching set at all—I would mix and match and have a funky, eclectic set of with everything I needed for a next to nothing. I picked out 8 dinner plates, 8 salad plates, 8 bowls and 8 saucers in a handful of patterns—bamboo, florals, vines, contemporary, lattice, and textured.

I brought everything home, washed it and unceremoniously trashed all the old, chipped stuff. I put my “new” dishes away and have used them ever since. In that time, not one piece has chipped or broken. Once I realized how durable my funky, mismatched dinnerware was, I gave up looking for anything else. Best of all, though, is that it cost me less than twenty dollars for peace of mind that my stuff is lead-free.

The takeaway? Things don’t have to be new OR expensive to be awesome. Please feel free to share your favorite secondhand scores in the comments :)

Photo by Nancy Bea Miller

This Week’s Giveaway: Truly Organic Baking 

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What: Filtrete Water Station

Features: The statistics are jaw-dropping—22 billion water bottles wind up in landfills each year and yet everywhere I go, I see people tossing plastic bottles. Why? Because grabbing a bottled drink on the go is easy, which is part of what makes 3M’s new Filtrete Water Station’s design so appealing – it easily allows you to fill four bottles of filtered water at a time. Extra bottles can be purchased separately.

Green Factor: Using a Filtrete system for one year will save the cost and waste of 3,000 water bottles (Quick, do the math! That’s a lot of money!) The bottles are BPA-free and top-rack dishwasher safe; filters are easy to read, recyclable and last 1,000 gallons (about 3 months)

Bonus: Download a $5 off coupon for a Filtrete Water Station or pitcher

Find It Here: 3M

Win It: We’ve partnered with 3M to give away one Filtrete Water Station to one randomly selected winner! Just leave a comment telling us some of the places you’d take the Filtrete water bottles with you. Giveaway ends at midnight on 09/13/10; $43 value. Open to US residents only. Official Rules. Giveaway has ended. Congrats to winner Jill, #11

Extra Entries: Tweet about this giveaway (be sure to include @greenmomreview in your tweet) and note in a second comment that you tweeted the giveaway to receive an extra entry.

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What: LunchBots

Features: Dishwasher safe stainless steel lunch containers that can be reused over and over for waste-free lunches.

Green Factor: They’re made from the highest quality stainless steel and contain no plastic, BPA, phthalates, or VOC’s and independently lab-certified to be lead-free.

Bonus: Use the following coupon code for 15% off an order from Lunchbots: BACKTOSCHOOL

Win It: One randomly selected winner will score a set of Uno and Duo Lunchbot containers! Just leave a comment telling us what you’d pack in a Lunchbot. Giveaway ends at midnight  8/27/10; $30 value. Open to US residents only. Official Rules.

Extra Entries: Tweet about this giveaway (be sure to include @greenmomreview in your tweet) and note in your comment that you tweeted the giveaway to receive an extra entry.

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What: Set of 4 silicone ice pop molds

Features: Molds have a tapered design that makes ice pops easy to eat; 3.5 oz. size is perfect for little hands!

Green Factor: BPA, PVC and phthalate-free and you can use your own healthy ingredients instead of the high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors/flavors found in most store-bought ice pops and popsicles.

Bonus: Dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, and microwave safe and the silicone is naturally bacteria resistant.

Find It Here: The Soft Landing

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What: 16 oz. reusable coffee cup

Features: Made of double-walled porcelain to keep beverages hot and has a matching silicone sleeve to keep hands cool and a silicone lid.

Green Factor: Bringing your own cup to your favorite coffee place or to work can keep a LOT of nasty styrofoam cups out of the waste stream and save trees by eliminating use of paper cups and sleeves and silicone features are non-toxic.

Bonus: They come in three cool graphic patterns and they’re reasonably priced.

Find It Here: Amazon.com

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What: Bamboo Veneerwear  by Bambu

Features: Available in sets of eight, these single-use plates come in three sizes (appetizer, salad and dinner plate) and are far sturdier (and more attractive!) than their disposable counterparts

Green Factor: While simply washing regular plates is the greenest option, if you require something disposable or less fragile, Veneerwear plates are made of 100% organically grown bamboo, peeled right from the stalk. They’re also compostable, biodegrading within four to six months, and FDA approved food-safe

Bonus: Veneerware was named Best Product Design by Fortune Magazine in 2004!

Find It Here: re:modern

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What: Coconut Palm Bowls

Features: These brightly colored coconut shell bowls are absolutely delicious! Once the coconut meat and milk is harvested, the shells are cleaned, polished and coated with a food-safe lacquer. Each bowl is uniquely shaped; sets of four come in Mango, Cayenne, Basil Green and Spearmint Blue

Green Factor: Turning coconut shells from by-product waste to pretty dinnerware is a brilliant way to use what would otherwise be sent to the landfill

Bonus: These babies come from a totally renewable, sustainable resource and would make a fabulous wedding gift for your fave green couple!

Find It Here: re:modern

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