Category — Green Cuisine

Usually, when at a BBQ, we expect our potato to be on our plate rather than in it. But, that’s not the case with the disposable plates and bowls made by Potatopak, a New Zealand based company which specializes in environmentally friendly disposable plates, trays and bowls made entirely of potato starch. Not only do potato plates bio-degrade quickly, they’re made without producing the toxic waste associated with foam disposable plates. According to Potatopak’s website,  all waste produced from manufacturing their products is completely organic and is fed to livestock, fish, and even worms. In fact, animals such as pigs and other livestock will eat the plates whole! So, for your next summertime picnic or BBQ, consider using disposable plates made of potato starch rather than foam. They’re even available in assorted colors. You’ll be doing the environment a favor and they’ll be a great conversation starter. If you want to send a letter to your local supermarket requesting that they carry potato starch disposable plates and bowls, Potatopak provides templates for doing so.

Those of us who are into green living are always looking for household items made from bamboo, a plentiful natural resource. I found this one at Williams-Sonoma. Bamboo absorbs excess moisture, so your asparagus spears or cabbage rolls won’t be soggy. And, this steamer has a great energy efficient bonus: two layers for steaming two foods at once. Simply line the bamboo steamer with parchment or reusable cheesecloth, fill with veggies, chicken or both and place in your wok. Having guests for a summertime barbecue? Here’s an idea for a yummy organic appetizer in a bamboo steamer. These organic frozen pot stickers are available at Central Market. Put out a spread of dipping sauces and your guests will love you!

Wow, who would’ve known? A pure coincidence! Although “Green Vaccine” is completely unrelated to “Green Our Vaccines” march, I do whole-heartedly support the cause, and all of the people who were out in Washington D.C. last week rallying for it. Among them were Jenny McCarthy, her son Evan and Jim Carrey. Jenny and Jim have been active spokesmen for the cause since Evan was diagnosed with autism. According to the Jim Carrey Online Forum, Jenny calls Jim “the Autism Whisperer” because he is so great with Evan and has been able to cure him of his fear of dogs, water and thunderstorms. Evan’s condition inspired Jenny to write a book, Louder Than Words, about her experience with fighting for her son’s treatment. The vaccine controversy is disturbing to say the least, and I am glad that people are raising awareness about harmful toxins in vaccines and vaccine scheduling for kids. “Too Many Too Soon” statement on the back of the “Green Our Vaccines” t-shirts says it all.

CNN article - by Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey for ‘World Autism Awareness Month’

TACA (Talk About Curing Autism) - official site

Autism rally 4/6/08 - More news about the event

Generation Rescue - Organization dedicated to cleaning up vaccines

Via another Design Bitch lead, I found this playful and adorable alternative to the old linen cloth. Designed by a German duo Bless, and named unpretentiously tablecloth, it resonates with the childhood nostalgia of “playing house” under the family dining room table. It is everything you wished you could do to your mom’s tablecloth back then and more. Why not? It still serves it’s primary function, which is to protect the table top from stains and scratches… only now a lot more fun beneath the surface.

For more traditional options, check out these tablecloths.

Thanks to Design Bitch, I discovered another green boutique in LA. It’s called Visionary and is located in West Hollywood. They carry a variety of green products for the home and organic clothing. These stylish and eco-friendly Bambu Reusable Plates and cutlery sold at Visionary are a great paper plate replacement, especially now that it’s BBQ season.

Visionary
8568 1/2 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood,CA 90069
310-659-1177