Green products buying guide: From cookware to lunch sacks
Sof-t Tumbler, Liquid Solution by Pacifica-Cornetta: This 14-ounce bottle made of marine-grade stainless steel has a soft, grippy exterior that won't slip from your hand. 100 percent recyclable and dishwasher safe. $15.99; available May at places like Dick's Sporting Goods, REI, Whole Foods Market.
Food storage containers, Preserve: Made from recycled #5 plastic (yogurt containers, takeout boxes, etc.), Preserve products are manufactured using less energy and generating fewer greenhouse gasses than virgin plastic. Made to last forever but also completely recyclable. $2.79 for small, screw-top container; $2.99 for the large. Available now at Whole Foods Markets or at preserveproducts.com.
Original Spaghetti Scrubs by Roland Products: All products in the company's Goodbye Detergent line use natural abrasives like corncobs and peach pits adhered to cotton and polyester backing. No detergent needed for basic cleaning. The scrubs dry quickly and last for months. About $10 for a two-pack. Available now at Crate & Barrel and online retailers.
Sifaka lunch tote, GreenSmart: It only looks like neoprene but this soft-sided lunch tote (named after an endangered lemur) is made with a nontoxic and trademarked material called Neogreen. This model features two components for hot and cold items and long handles so you can carry it over your shoulder. $28. Available now at GreenFeet.com or specialty retailers.
Alternative cookware by Starfrit: No more worrying about toxic coating flaking off into your scrambled eggs when you use this nonstick pan. A ceramic surface protects the body of the pan comes from 99 percent recycled aluminum. New handle design takes the pan from stovetop to oven. $39.99 for a 9.5-inch skillet; $236.99 for an eight-piece set. Available now at major retailers.
Hybrid Bamboo Cutting Board by Bambu: Cork is the new bamboo in terms of its renewability. Bambu combines the two materials into a two-sided board that's beautiful, antibacterial and kind to your knives. $33.95 for 9-by-12-inch board; $44.95 for 12-by-15-inch board. Available soon at kitchen retailers and GreenFeet.com.
Reclaimed coconut bowls by Bambu: The Professor and Mary Ann would be so jealous. These stylish, lacquered bowls are made from reclaimed coconut shells that would have been burned after the meat and milk had been extracted. They're food safe (hot or cold), but should avoid the dishwasher. $14.95 per bowl. Available this spring at Sur la Table, Crate & Barrel and Whole Foods Market or at GreenFeet.com.
EcoSmart mixing bowls by Architec: Biodegradable. That's right. These bowls made from a 50-50 mix of bamboo and melamine will decompose when you're done with them. The set of 2-, 3- and 4-quart bowls will cost about $30 when it's released in June. Look for them at high-end gourmet shops.
Sustain snack containers by Aladdin: Long a favorite with the lunchbox set, Aladdin continues its green efforts with a line of products made from 100 percent recycled plastic (including 25 percent post-consumer material) that can be recycled. Microwave and dishwasher safe these 10-ounce containers can hold small crackers and nuts or cookies and chips. Available this summer for $6.99 at major retailers.
Reusable snack bags from Litter Free Lunch: The cloth napkins that this Naperville company sells became so popular the owners expanded the line to include organic cotton napkins and cotton bags for snacks and sandwiches. Machine washable and available in five colors. $6.99 for snack bags; $8.99 for the sandwich size. Available at litterfreelunch.com.