One of the important things that people who live in apartments have to consider is the smaller space, making it impossible to escape the smell of early compost. Early compost smells, and there’s really not a whole lot you can do to totally escape that, but you can surely mitigate it. One of the best ways out there that you can mitigate the smell of early compost, while also doing a lot to make great compost, is to use a composter that is designed to be used inside of an apartment. This means that you can compost for a small garden or a container garden without having to sacrifice the air quality of your apartment.

The specific model of indoor composter I’m talking about is the Fresh Air Kitchen Composter by Full Circle. This thing is different from other types of composters I’ve seen that are designed for indoor use, but the differences are all better. It’s hard to describe the design of the thing without sounding contradictory. On the one hand, they look very nice compared to the regular old box with a bunch of old food in it. On the other hand, it does just look like the same kind of storage bins you’d find in Target or some other place like that. It’s not some kind of super-fancy thing, but it is really a great option for people that don’t think that they have the ability to compost in a smaller home.

One of the great things about the “DIY movement” is that it has made more people reanalyze the type of things they do with their lives. Help make your soils better by recycling your kitchen scraps yourself.

This guy Graham Bergh collects thousands of these things every year and makes, of all things, bottle openers out of them. It’s actually a pretty cool thing when you think about it. Not only does it look pretty cool, but it’s easy to keep around. The tensile strength of the circle of chain is enough to give you more than enough leverage on the bottle cap, and it hangs on your belt or key chain very easily. In an all around kind of way, this thing is well worth the paltry 14 bucks.

And it doesn’t stop there! The only chains that get turned into bottle openers are the ones that are so messed up that they can’t be used for anything else. Any of the chains they collect that could still be worked into something usable are sent to a non-profit that teaches kids how to maintain their own bikes. It’s like an extra little something to make you feel that much better about this purchase. It looks cool, it works, it keeps trash off the ground, and it helps educate children. That’s pretty damn hard to beat.

This is probably the ten billionth thing I’ve written about that’s recycled, but I can’t help it. Recycled stuff is where it’s at, and there are obviously a lot of cool things you can do with this stuff.

This is why I love these recycled beer glasses so much. First, I love me some beer. Second, they are made out of 100% recycled glass. They even retain some of the hue that was imbued within the glass originally to keep out sun glare. Don’t worry, there’s no harsh chemicals in the glass that could leech into your drink, but it does give them a really interesting look. Each one of these glasses is completely hand made, and no two of them look identical. Since I’ve never understood this obsession that some people have with all of their stuff looking the exact same, this is really great for me. It gives your kitchen some character when you have stuff in it that varies a little. Maybe that’s just me.

This is the time of year when you can make bad decisions or good decisions in epic proportions. At no other time of year do people spend so much money all at once. Due to this, it’s important that we all dedicate our purchases during this time of year to the the most responsible items we can. It’s important to take advantage of the massive saturation provided by the temporary acceptance of “shopaholism” that happens during the Christmas season. Things like this are a great way to do that.

There are a lot of different products out there that are made out of entirely recycled materials. Since the best way to be environmentally conscious is to recycle/reduce/reuse, these really are the top of the line in terms of eco-friendly gifts. There will be more of these types of gifts coming up in future posts.

Here is a perfect example. For nearly 130 years, Kaikado has been producing hand-made Japanese tea caddies designed to last not for decades but for generations. The skill necessary to make these caddies is passed down from father to son at a very young age. This product, first invented in 1875, took advantage of a revolutionary new material, tin plate. The material did not exist in Japan until the country opened its borders to international trade. The tin is perfect for helping to maintain the flavor and freshness of its contents.

Even as the decades pass, the tin makers stay true to the practices of their forefathers and follow an over 130 step process to hand-make the tins.
Source: Inhabitat

The Sugarcane Disposable Bowls are like any standard disposable bowl: they will not absorb oil, nor will they leak. The Bowls can be disposed of in compostable waste, and once they are exposed to heat, water, and bacteria, the bowls will fully decompose within a few months. Most other disposable bowls cannot break down properly once tossed into landfills because of their own plastic coating.

The bowls are constructed from sugarcane fiber, a natural and sustainable product which is a natural by-product of the sugar industry. By making use of the fiber, it saves the material from being discarded or burnt.

The Sugarcane Disposable Bowls are a great product to have ready for any use, and can be stored away in cupboards until needed. By being both fully compostable and made from a sustainable by-product, you can rest assured that you won’t be adding waste to the landfills the next time you host an event.

DrinkStuff

In response, Russian designer Yuriy Dmitriev submitted what he terms the Bio Robot Fridge.  This concept challenges our customary notion of what a fridge looks like.  Rather than placing food items into containers and stacking them on shelves, Dmitriev’s design employs a green gel-like substance that keeps items fresh whether in a container or no.  Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, this appliance does not use electricity, thereby reducing the users carbon footprint.

While this thin, wall-mounted, and certainly futuristic looking refrigerator is an interesting appliance from a design perspective, one is left to question its practicality. For example, how does the gel eliminate odor?  Are there different temperatures zones within the gel for fridge and freezer items?  Will the gel increase the freshness of the items placed within it or will it act as a regular fridge? And finally, has this bio-gel substance, meant to keep our perishables safe, even been invented yet?

These are questions that certainly need answering before Electrolux can begin production of this innovative machine.

Source: CoolestGadgets via Greengadgeting

The Eco Can is a simple and environmentally friendly way to store your drinks. The can is reusable (both dishwasher and microwave safe) and easy to use. Most importantly from an environmental point of view, once the Eco Can has reached the end of its life, it is biodegradable. As you can probably tell, the Eco Can is designed to mimic the traditional aluminum soda can. The difference is that the can is made of Polylactic Acid (PLA) plastic. Though I don’t really know what PLA plastic is, I do know that corn starch is an ingredient and that many consider is a sustainable material because of its organic ingredients and biodegradable characteristics.

If you are worried about the Eco Can beginning to biodegrade in your kitchen cabinet, never fret.  PLA plastic only starts to biodegrade when it is exposed to warmth and bacteria for a sustained period of time. In other words, it will break down in a compost pile but not in your microwave or dishwasher. The Eco Can is also specially designed with insulation in mind. The double wall of the can provides great temperature control for drinks.

Source: Firebox

Most large lawn, leaf, and compost bags are typically made of plastic; even paper bags have a disadvantage since they take a lot of energy to process, while also requiring the cutting of trees.

Biobags provides 100% compostable and biodegradable kitchen, lawn and leaf, and compost bags. The bags, which are made primarily from corn starch, break down within weeks, rather than centuries, like their chemically-ridden counterparts. All Biobags have a large capacity and are durable enough to handle the toughest lawn care or composting jobs.

The bags are manufactured with extreme flexibility and are built to “breathe” so the composting process will occur faster and more efficiently. The bags break down by allowing heat and moisture to escape or evaporate. This process also allows food waste to dry, reducing the rate of bacterial build-up which causes odor.

The bags are also made with organic inks and dyes, and are sized equivalent to regular plastic bags to fit most kitchen waste cans. These tall kitchen bags are also great for collecting outdoor waste from small gardening areas. While the bags are made from corn, they are completely shelf stable and won’t break down in your pantry or shed.

Information about Biobags and how to purchase other certified compostable bags and films can be found at the company website http://www.biobagusa.com/.

I’m always glad to find products that are biodegradable, but edible is definitely that much better. You may be familiar with bread bowls, but I doubt you have ever been introduced to a bread spoon.  Designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen can up with the idea, a concept that in some ways revolutionizes the spoon. If widely utilized, these biodegradable (and bird friendly) utensils can replace their waste producing plastic alternatives. Frankly, we use far too many plastic products that are tossed out after just one use. This smart idea changes all of that and makes the dishware the final course of the meal. Or if you are not interested in eating your dirty dishes, toss them into a bush and know that you are causing no harm to the environment. That is truly eco friendly living.

Believe it or not, but the outdoor temperature doesn’t greatly effect the solar oven. Whether it is a hot or cold day, the efficiency of the oven is most dependent on the amount of sunlight and the lack of cloud cover. In fact, high humidity is more likely to increase the necessary cooking time than the outdoor temperature. This means that a cold and dry winter day could actually lead to shorter cooking times than a hot and humid summer afternoon.

In the end, I think people would need to try out a solar cooker and decide for themselves whether or not it fits their needs. In my opinion, considering how popular grills have become in the U.S., someday solar ovens be popular too.