instant clean up: jelloware edible glassware
Planning a summer party? You may be able to save yourself some backyard clean up while saving the planet by using Jelloware! Created by the girls over at The Way We See The World, these cups are made of agar agar, a seaweed extract that actually promotes the growth of plants when discarded. Available in different flavors including ginger-mint, rosemary-beet and lemon-basil, the flavor of each cup can compliment your drink of choice and is designed to be cast to the ground after use. I love the intricate glass cut design and green-thinking, but tell me, would you put them into practice at home? — Sarah C.
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sustainable sushi: a diner’s guide
You asked for it, you got it — a more detailed guide of what to pick and what to avoid when dining out for sushi and sashimi. I did a bit of research, both at the MBA Seafood Watch and sustainablesushi.net, and compiled a list of sustainable choices and what to avoid at your favorite sushi bar. I found out quite a bit in the process — first, that the health of our planet’s fisheries is constantly in flux, so it’s best to educate yourself and keep up with the latest info at my above two resources. And it’s not just the unagi that’s in danger: bluefin tuna has been over fished to startlingly low numbers. But most importantly, I discovered just how many sustainable choices us consumers have. It should be noted that it’s crucial to ask your chef where your fish is coming from, and how it’s been harvested. If they can’t tell you, go somewhere where they can! Here’s what I’ve compiled — and there are many more good choices, almost too many to list, so you can download and print a handy pocket guide here, from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. — Megan B.
Good choices:
Amaebi & Ebi — US farmed, fresh water prawns, spot prawns from Canada
Sake and Ikura — wild Alaskan salmon & roe (make sure it’s specifically Alaskan, not Pacific)
Iwana — arctic char, farmed
Kaki — farmed oysters, such as Kumamoto
Mirugai — geoduck or giant clam
Masago — smelt roe from Iceland
Katsuo — troll-caught skipjack tuna (not Bonito)
Uni — sea urchin roe, British Columbia
Kanpachi — farmed, Hawaiian
Awabi — abalone, farmed ONLY
Kani — Alaskan king crab, Stone crab, Dungeness (avoid snow crab and blue crab)
Saba — Mackerel, wild Atlantic (also low in mercury risk!)
Gindara — black cod or sablefish, wild Alaskan or British Columbia Preferably, Pacific Coast is ok
Aji — Horse Mackerel, US
Akame — Barramundi, US farmed
what to avoid:
Ankimo — Monkfish, monkfish liver
Aburasokomutsu — Escolar, or butterfish
Anago — Conger Eel
Ebi — Shrimp — imported, tiger prawns, US wild
Surimi — imitation crab
Unagi — freshwater eel
Hamachi — Amberjack
Toro — Bluefin tuna belly (sad, but true)
Maguro — Yellowfin and Bigeye tuna (choose US troll or pole-caught if you MUST)
Tai — snapper (avoid red snapper in particular)
Shiromaguro — Albacore tuna
photos courtesy of sustainablesushi.net
green find: fun pillows from alexandra ferguson
Some recycled decor items just look a little too, well, recycled for my taste. Not so these pillows from Alexandra Ferguson. A friend spotted the “Fox” pillow and I immediately thought of three friends who need one for their couches. (It’s $79, so I hope they understand that it’s not really in my gift-giving budget right now.) A variety of other messages (“Call Your Mother,” “Let’s Make Out”) serve as fun reminders or notes to a loved one, or would just look fun hanging about the house. Ferguson’s pillows are made from 100% recycled materials. She says, “Each pillow is approximately the equivalent of four bottles that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.” And yet, they look very fresh. See all of them here. — Mary T.
green find: upcycled zipper decor by amalia versaci
The best finds come when I’m just surfing around, not looking for anything in particular. These upcycled zipper jars and vases, magnets, artwork and more by Amalia Versaci, for instance. Who knew zippers could be so gorgeous? I am dying for the turquoise vintage zipper jar, $48. If you just want to decorate yourself, there are lots of great jewelry selections, too. — Mary T.
hyperlocal produce: direct from store rooftop to you
A colleague suggested I sign up for the Springwise newsletter for new and fun finds, and already it’s paying off with this note on “Food from the Sky,” a rooftop garden project that is a collaboration between London grocer Thornton’s Budgens, The Positive Earth Project, and the local community. In short, Budgens is growing produce on the roof that it can sell to customers. That, my friends, is thinking locally. Read more at Thornton’s Food from the Sky site, and sign up for Springwise (if you’re so inclined) here. — Mary T.
