Los Angeles Bans Plastic Bags

In early January, the Los Angeles plastic bag ban went into effect. Although the law that made the plastic bags illegal at Los Angeles retailers was passed last June, many residents were unaware and surprised when they headed to their local stores.

Under the new law, plastic bags cannot be used in grocery stores. Supermarkets can offer paper bags, but at a cost of $.10 per bag. The goal is to get people to use reusable bags and reduce litter and waste in the Los Angeles area. Big box stores are not required to eliminate plastic bags as a part of the new rules.

If you're in the Los Angeles area and have found yourself plastic bag-less, check out our collection of plastic bag alternatives. Our Chico bags are meant for grocery shopping and are made from environmentally friendly recycled plastic fabric.

      Chico Bag rePETe, Hemp & Mesh Reusable Produce Bags - Set of 3

                               Chico Bag Hobo RePETe in Turkish Blue

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!

A Paperless Kitchen Review of the ChicoBag Produce Stand Starter Set

As a follow-up to my review of the ChicoBag Original Boysenberry Bag, I did a test of the ChicoBag Produce Stand Starter Set. These bags are designed to be used at the grocery store in place of the throwaway plastic bags in the produce section, but you can easily take them to a farmer's market or with you for other kinds of shopping.

Here's a rundown on my impressions of the set:

- The Produce Stand Hemp Cotton Bag is the one designed for bulk foods that don't need to breathe as much as other types of produce. The company recommends that you use it for nuts, grains and the like. The hemp is very soft, and it held up well to washing. It's easy to close and you can fill it very full because the fabric has some give.

- The Produce Stand Mesh Bag is the piece in the trio for more perishable produce. The bag lets air circulate, so it's good for apples, potatoes, oranges and similar foods. This one doesn't have as much give, but it's plenty big, so it's possible to get a large load of produce at once.

- The Produce Stand rePETe Bag locks in air and moisture, and it's design for broccoli, squash, carrots and similar vegetables. For some reason, this one was the easiest for me to close, and I also think it looked the best when it came out of the washing machine.

- The Apple Holder - The idea behind the apple holder is cute. You can roll up the bags and then put them inside and attach the holder to a bag with the included carabiner. The concept is great, but I had a hard time putting it into practice. I could fit two bags in easily, but the third one was a tight fit. I was worried they were going to fall out. In the end, I decided to just put the apple and the bags inside of the pouch for the ChicoBag Hobo. Problem solved!

In conclusion, the problem with the Apple Holder didn't limit my ability to benefit from the Produce Starter Set. Despite this small shortcoming, I would definitely recommend the bags. You can also purchase three-packs of each bag in the set if you'd prefer to stock up on one particular kind.

A Paperless Kitchen Review of the ChicoBag Boysenberry Hobo Bag

We recently added the ChicoBag collection to Paperless Kitchen, and I picked up a couple of samples to take for a test drive. I decided to try out the Hobo ChicoBag in Boysenberry for my first test. The bag is folded up in its pouch when it arrives, so I unfolded it and took a look. It was pretty wrinkled, of course, but I could tell it really had a lot of space inside.

I folded it back up into the pouch very easily and took it with me to the grocery store. The pouch was a little bulky, but I was able to fit it easily into my purse. When it came time to check out, I unfolded my ChicoBag while I waited in line.

The guy who was bagging groceries oggled by bag, and I told him I wanted to see how much would fit inside. He obliged me, and we loaded it up. You can see from the photograph how much the bag held. I ended up with one plastic shopping bag and one ChicoBag and headed home.

Needless to say, the ChicoBag was much easier to carry and more comfortable. I didn't have the worry about the bag breaking like I had with its plastic counterpart. My favorite part about the bag is the magnetic closure pocket. Unlike other magnetic bags I've tried in the past, it actually seals the bag very tightly.

The ChicoBag is definitely something I'll use again when I shop. To completely be bag free, I'll need to buy two, which will carry the equivalent of a full shopping basket.