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Posts with tag biodegradable

An answer to that charcoal taste on your burgers



Grilling and the summer season go hand-in-hand. So it's only natural that, once Memorial Day arrives, you break out the grill and the coals and the burgers (or, if you're me, the latter is of the faux variety).

But what if you're not too keen on that lighter fluid/coal taste on your food, and you don't want to invest in a gas grill? No problem - get yourself a Baja BBQ Firepack from Mike and Maaike. It's a great eco alternative to your typical grills, (46,200 tons of lighter fluid are sold each year, and they emit 14,500 tons of VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, which can deplete the ozone layer and are generally unhealthy for our lungs).

So, how does the Baja BBQ work? Simple: Light the chemical-free, 100% recycled and biodegradable paper pulp container that contains 2 pounds of charcoal. It burns down on its own and after 15-20 minutes, you'll have a pile of charcoal that will perfectly grill your meat, veggies, or dessert without any of the added chemicals or gross lighter fluid taste.

via [joshspear]

Tater Ware: Potatoes change the way we look at carbs and coffee lids

taterwareI was getting off the bus on my way to a craft swap, and I was mind-numbingly sleep-deprived. I needed coffee immediately and almost cried with happiness when I saw the sign outside the new electric car dealership. "Hip Drip Cafe," or something. Whatever. They had coffee.

I bought a cup and started feeling guilty when I got to the airpots to fill up. There was a sign encouraging patrons to bring their own cups -- you'd save 25 cents -- and I've been really working to reduce my waste lately. I mentally reminded myself to bring the cup home, so I could compost it and recycle the plastic lid. I grabbed the lid and... discovered Tater Ware.

Tater Ware is, as the cup lid indicates, made of potatoes. They are 100% biodegradable and, if you're worried about those things, GMO free. In addition to the to go cup lid I had on my coffee, the company makes clamshell takeout containers, deli trays, cutlery, and hot/cold cups. The products are "microwarmable" (you can use them to reheat food and beverages in the microwave) and, yep, they can go straight in the compost pile.

Most importantly, my coffee did not have a potato-ey aftertaste. My next campaign: convincing my neighborhood coffee shop to switch to Tater Ware. Someone's got to keep Idaho in business!

A fork made of spuds

an assortment of spudwareAt a recent outdoor wedding reception (the same one that served the faux meat), I found myself standing around talking and eating the ice cream cake that was dessert. A friend was stirring a cup of coffee with a disposable spoon and when she pulled it out of the cup she discovered that the spoon had started to melt in the heat of the liquid. It turns out that it was a compostable utensil made from corn. Good for the environment but not so good for hot beverages.

However, it looks like the newest biodegradable disposable cutlery out there might have withstood the heat a little bit better. Spudware is made from 80% potato starch and 20% soybean oil and takes but half a year (180 days) to break down. It's a little spendier than traditional plastic utensils, running $20 for a set of 50 forks, spoons and knives. If you're interested, you can get it here.

Via Josh Spear

Biobags keep produce fresher

Biobags are storage bags made from completely natural and biodegradable materials. Although they resemble plastic bags, they are made from cornstarch - and even the corn is certified as non-GMO. The material used to make them is actually a "bioplastic" called Mater-Bi, which is made by an Italian company that specializes in finding alternatives to petroleum-based plastics.

Biobags allow the produce (or anything else) placed inside them to “breathe”, so heat and moisture will be wicked away, reducing the chance of bacterial buildup and even keeping produce fresh longer. It will also reduce the odors from trash and other waste products. The bags, if placed in a compost pile, will break down completely within 10-45 days, and will achieve the same result, albeit at a somewhat slower rate, in a natural setting. This means that they're great for taking along as storage on picnics and camping trips in addition to home use, just in case you lose track of any bags while you're out in the woods.

The bags are available online and come in a variety of sizes, including everything from grocery bags (pictured) to trash can liners to doggie bags.

Tip of the Day

A jar of honey can become a sticky mess. Next time you're adding honey to another dish or a mug of tea, use a honey dipper to prevent a thick gooey layer from spreading.

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