PaperlessKitchen Blog

Paperless Kitchen Tested: Bambooee Sweeps Review

Here at Paperless Kitchen, we've carried Bambooee paper towels since we opened our store, and they've always been one of our best selling products. Now, Bambooee has released something brand new--Bambooee Sweeps. I got my hands on a roll and decided to take them for a test drive. Here's what happened:

The Basics: 

Bambooee Sweeps are alternatives to disposable cleaning cloths used on dry sweepers like the Swiffer. Each sheet can supposedly take the place of 100 of the disposable sheets, and they can be laundered in the washing machine between uses. The sheets come in a roll of 15, and they are made from organic bamboo.

The Inspection:

To test out the Bambooee Sweeps, I put one on my Swiffer and got ready to clean the kitchen floor. I was impressed by the feel of the pads. Swiffer pads feel like dryer sheets. They're flimsy, and I've had them tear before I even put one on the head of the sweeper. The Bambooee Sweeps are much thicker. I even tried to tear one, and I couldn't get the rip started. I was also struck by the scrubbing dots on the pads, which really gave the Sweeps a unique texture.

The Cleaning:

It was pretty easy to get the pad onto my Swiffer. I generally think they're a pain to get set up, and the Bambooee pads weren't any harder to put on. In fact, because they are thicker, it seemed to be slightly easier. I was really impressed with how the pad worked. I could feel it creating friction on my hardwood floors, and the pad had way more dirt on it than I expected.

The Wash:

After cleaning, I went ahead and laundered by Bambooee Sweeps pad, following the instructions, which say not to use fabric softener. The pad came out wrinkled but still in great condition, and it went right back onto the Swiffer with ease.  

The Takeaway:

I don't clean with my Swiffer often because I don't like the idea of using the disposable sheets, but the Bambooee Sweeps may change that. They definitely work well and are probably the next best thing to a full mop down. The pads can be used wet as well and can clean up spills because they're absorbent like a paper towel.

                         d

Find Greener Paper with the Ecopaper Database

We've discussed establishing paperless workplaces a lot in the past, and as we've pointed out, it can be difficult to eliminate paper completely in some industries. If your business can't completely phase out paper, you can still keep your eco footprint small by using the greenest papers available.

But how do you find the perfect green paper?  The Ecopaper Database is the solution.

The Ecopaper Database from Canopy is a listing of the most eco-friendly papers that are currently available. When selecting papers to include in the list, Canopy uses the Paper Steps that we discussed in our last blog post. Only those that pass the test and that are produced by mills with reputations for making strides for sustainability make the cut and end up in the database.

Not just for copy paper, the database provides listings for book, magazine and newspaper publishers' paper needs, packaging supplies, stationery, office supplies, board paper and molded fiber products, which are items like our green disposables.

The Ecopaper Database is free to use for consumers and for businesses. You can access it right here:

http://www.canopyplanet.org/EPD/

The Paper Steps: Ways to Shop for Paper

Nowadays, there are so many copy papers that say they are "eco friendly," "green," "Earth friendly" and so on. In the United States, these terms don't have any specific meaning, as their use is not regulated. As a result, people often buy all types of products, not just paper, and end up with something less green than they thought.

The Environmental Paper Network is committed to helping people make better choices about the papers that they buy and has put together a helpful guide to choosing paper called "The Paper Steps." When you shop for paper, you can refer to the guide to make your choice. The guide has four types of paper:

- Environmentally Superior Paper - The most eco-friendly and the preferred first choice.

- Environmentally Improved Paper - An eco responsible product that can be used when an Environmentally Superior Paper is not available.

- Transitional Paper - A paper that is mediocre in terms of its sustainability that should only be purchased with other types are not available.

- Environmentally Inferior Paper - Not eco conscious and to be avoided whenever possible

You can see the full guide here at whatsinyourpaper.com.

Reseed Program for Eliminating Paper Receipts

We've talked about saying no to receipts on our blog in the past, but still, many of us just can't do without them. Many businesses, too, are hesitant to go receipt-less, as they want the tangible proof that goods and services were rendered.

A new smart phone app called Reseed is currently in development to help eliminate the need for receipts. If this technology takes off, its impact could be profound. In the US, receipt manufacturing uses 250 million gallons of oil, 1 billion gallons of water and 10 million trees annually.

Currently a project being completed in cooperation with the Clinton Global Initiative University Commitment to Action, Reseed lets users print records from participating stores on their smart phones. The project is being tested at the University College of London presently in hopes of soon launching it worldwide and encouraging businesses to invest. 

Introducing New Styles in the Lunchskins Line

Lunchskins are a unique plastic sandwich bag alternative that is perfect for kids and grownups alike. The fabric is the same type used by the best bakeries in Europe for keeping pastries and breads fresh. The patterning on each Lunchskins bag is vibrant and colorful, and we've recently added several new designs to our inventory. Here's a look at the three sizes of Lunchskins and our new patterns:

- Lunchskins Snack Bags - The snack bags are rectangular in shape and 6-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches in size. They have a Velcro flap for a secure seal, and they are dishwasher safe. The bag below is the Aqua Dot. We also added Navy Blue Circuit, Green Dot, Red Dot and Green Stripe to our lineup.

- Lunchskins Sandwich Bags - Square in shape, the Lunchskins Sandwich Bags have the Velcro closure and the same dishwasher-safe fabric as the snack bags. They measure 6-1/2 inches by 6-1/2 inches in size and are handmade like the entire Lunchskins collection. Shown below is the fun Navy Shark pattern. You can also check out our new Red Bird, Red Apple, Mango Slices, Green Pear, Green Lizard, Green Bud and Black Zebra designs.

- Lunchskins Sub Bag - Big enough to hold a 6-inch hoagie the sub bag is 8 inches by 7 inches in size and features all of the same details as the snack and sandwich bags. This one is the Red Mosaic. We also added a Brown Horizontal Stripe and a Green Vertical Stripe to Paperless Kitchen.

Which Lunchskins bag is your fave? Leave us a note in the "Comments" section to tell us about it!

Paperless Kitchen Now Carries More thinkBaby

We heard you loud and clear! After more requests that we expand our thinkBaby product offerings, we have now added more green solutions for babies and toddlers from this award-winning brand. Parents love thinkBaby, and it's easy to understand why. Their products are designed by pediatricians and engineers and are free of all types of toxins.

Here's a look at some of the brand new sustainable items we're now featuring in our kids section:

- thinkBaby Baby Bottles - Sold in 5-ounce and 9-ounce sizes, thinkBaby bottles are made of medical grade silicone and designed not to leak. Also anti-colic the bottles can be used from birth onwards. We are now carrying both sizes and both Stage A and Stage B replacement nipples.

                                                5-ounce                           9-ounce

- thinkBaby Starter Set - Perfect for a green baby shower gift, this set includes two small bottles, two large bottles and two of each type of nipple that thinkBaby makes. It's the perfect way to stock up on BPA free baby bottles.

- thinkBaby Low Wall and Traditional Cereal Bowls - Both of these bowls are made of stainless steel and polypropylene and come with lids for traveling. The low wall is perfect for younger babies to reach into. Both hold up to 10 ounces.

                   thinkBaby Low Wall Baby Bowl                                 thinkBaby Cereal Bowl

- thinkbaby Bento Boxes - Moms and dads can't get enough of the thinkBaby bento box because it's so perfect for traveling. The square container has a snap-on lid and is lined with nontoxic stainless steel. thinkBaby recently introduced Light Teal and Light Green colors to go along with the traditional Blue and Orange.

                     thinkBaby Light Teal Bento Box                     thinkBaby Light Green Bento Box

Do you love thinkBaby? Tell us why in the "Comments" section!

Tons of New Ways to Style Your Green Lunchbox with eco Ditty

eco Ditty makes lunch greener by allowing you to ditch plastic bags and use a reusable, dishwasher-safe cotton lunch bag in its place. We've carried this brand since the launch of our store and now have expanded our collection with many new styles. Here's a look at the three different sizes of eco Ditty lunch bags available and some of the new designer colors.

eco Ditty Lunch Bag - Brand new to the eco Ditty collection is the lunch bag, which is 10 inches by 10 inches by 4 inches in size. It's big enough to take the place of paper lunch bags and has a drawstring top. Check it out in the Fields of Pink shown here and in the Aboriginal print Eyes of the World and the Spiral Let It Grow.

                                       eco Ditty Fields of Pink Lunch Bag

eco Ditty Sandwich Bag - The perfect place to put a PB&J, the sandwich bag is 7-1/4 inches by 6 inches in size. It has an unbleached and undyed inner liner and fastens with a hook and eye closure. The style shown is the Fields of Honey. There's also a red and green Ginkgo, a green spiral Let it Grow, a white bubble Morning Dew, solid Powder Blue, solid Spring Green and a grass and clover print in Aqua and in Black and White new in the collection.

                           eco Ditty Fields of Honey Sandwich Bag

eco Ditty Snack Bag - Rounding out the collection is the eco Ditty Snack Bag, which is 4 inches by 6 inches in size. Like the sandwich bag, it has a hook and eye closure and an unbleached liner. We have this bag in the Morning Dew print shown here and in three new colors that you can check out in the eco Ditty collection.

                                       eco Ditty Morning Dew Snack Bag

Which new eco Ditty print is your favorite? Let us known in the "Comments" section.

Introducing...Seventh Generation

We are proud to announce that we have begun to carry a selection of Seventh Generation products. The company is the largest independently owned manufacturer of green alternatives in the United States and is committed to offering solutions for products that are otherwise wasteful or bad for the planet. Our collection will include only those Seventh Generation products that are intended as paper replacements. For now, our collection includes:

- Seventh Generation Free and Clear Wipes - These baby wipes are made out of plant-based fibers and are hypoallergenic and nontoxic. This makes them perfect for protecting babies' skin and the planet at the same time. The wipes are sold by the case, giving you 12 conveniently sized packages of 64.

- Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes in Lemongrass and Thyme - Perfect for cleaning kitchens, cordless phones and other surfaces where germs linger, these plant-based disposable wipes kill up to 99.9 percent of household germs with no artificial ingredients. The wipes come in canister of 70, and we're offering them in a money-saving case of six.

Check out the Seventh Generation products and let us know what you think!

Burlap Coffee Bags Are Being Used to Make Paper

Coffee roasters and coffee shops across the country go through a large number of large burlap bags, which usually end up in landfills once they are empty, as often they are too worn to be reused. A St. Louis-based inventor named Ted Gast has come up with a way to turn this burlap into specialty papers.

To create his line of papers, Gast has partnered with George A. Whiting Paper Co. in Menasha, Wisconsin. The bags are processed and broken down into their jute and sisal fibers and then turned into specialty papers. The name of the product is Kona Paper, a reference to the variety of coffee that comes from Hawaii.

Kona Paper is currently being used by Caribou Coffee Company for business cards and coffee sleeves as well as by other coffee companies across the country. Gast and the George A. Whiting Paper Co. now plan to start producing scrapbooking papers and other varieties of specialty paper with their recycled burlap fibers.

You can check out the official website here.   

Preparing Thanksgiving Dinner the Green Way

In a recent post, we talked about some products that could help you set a greener table for Thanksgiving. For this edition of our blog, we'll show you some great eco friendly tools to use when you're preparing the meal. These products are made by Bambu and Toockies, which both manufacture their products out of sustainable and organic materials.

1. Bambu Stainless Steel Cheese Plane - Use this handy tool for slicing cheese for hors d'oeuvres or for adding to recipes.

2. Bambu Serrated Utility Knife/Spreader - This handy knife is perfect for a wide variety of tasks as well as for spreading butter.

3. Bambu Bamboo Classic Mixing Spoon - You're sure to use a wooden spoon at some point while you're cooking for Thanksgiving. When it's this spoon that you'll be stirring with bamboo instead of hardwood.

4. Toockies Square Joy Pot Holder - Protect your hands when you're taking the turkey out to baste with these handmade pot holders.

5. Toockies Flower Trivet - Use this organic jute trivet to protect the counter top or the table.

6. Bambu Bamboo Tapered Spatula - You're sure to need this handy spatula when you're cleaning out the bowl after making your pumpkin pie.

7. Bambu Bamboo Slotted Spoons - Check to see if the veggies are finished in the water without making a mess with the help of these slotted spoons.

8. Bambu Medium Undercut Bamboo Cutting Board - Whatever you're chopping up this Thanksgiving, make sure it's on this bamboo cutting board to protect the planet.

Which of these products are you most looking forward to adding to your collection? Tell us in the "Comments."