It’s a constant work-in-progress, but I’m always trying to up my “green” mentality. Some things are easier to accomplish than others though. Like when I tried going vegetarian to offset my carbon footprint (not to mention save the animals) – that lasted a few weeks until I was staring at a delicious steak and I just had to have it. But it’s ok because I’ve switched over to those weird looking light bulbs and I’ve even stopped cruising around Main St in my stretch Hummer. Still, I feel like I really dropped the ball when it comes to food and my eating habits, so I decided to step it up.
One way I can shape up in the kitchen (besides becoming part of the Clean Plate Club) is to start composting. Enter the Freezer Compost Bin (Generate Design, $59.00), is a convenient and essentially effortless way to compost your table scraps. Unless you live out in the country (and most of us don’t), it’s kind of hard to wrap your head around composting. I mean, where are you supposed to be dumping all your biodegradable goodies when you live in a fourth floor walk-up? This bin allows you to toss in your food scraps and then store them in the freezer, eliminating the need to immediately dump them. As an added bonus, because the bin in stored in the freezer instead of on your counter, it doesn’t radiate offending smells that in turn attract flies. Seriously, does it get any easier than this?
If you think composting is crazy, just think about how much less trash you would be throwing out if you set aside your organic scraps in this bin. And for those of you out there who have to pay by the specially marked bag to get your trash hauled away, you know how important it is to reduce your waste.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11″ x 6″ x 6″
-Fits in all freezer/fridge combinations
-Eliminates odor and mess
-Push flexible bottom to empty
-Available in black (other colors coming soon)
-Made of silicone
Could it get any hotter outside? Seriously, it feels like I’m living on the surface of the sun. I’m all for some nice weather and I couldn’t be happier that the terrible winter is finally over, but it’s pretty freaking hot out. I wish we could have had a nice steady increase in temperature instead of waking up to 90+ degrees out and basically melting into a puddle. During these sweltering summer months, it’s important to slather on the SPF, take cover in the shade, and most importantly, stay hydrated. The best way to do that is with a nice tall glass of freezing cold water. And how do you get your water super cold? Ice, of course!
With the Quick Snap Ice Tray (Drinkstuff, £7.99), you’ll get so much more than the standard ice cube tray. Made of strong durable plastic, this ice tray is unique in that it lets you remove any of its 12 ice cubes one by one. That’s right, you only eject the number of cubes you need at that given moment. Using a quick release mechanism on the bottom of the tray, you just have to twist the tray to loosen the cubes and then push switch for the number of ice cubes you want. Not only does it cut down on the number of ice cube trays that get ruined by excessive twisting because you can’t get all the cubes out or the mess you make when trying to get just one cube out and they all fall on the floor, but it’s also great for germaphobics because you never have to touch the ice cubes.
I can’t be the only one who’s constantly dropping ice cubes all over my kitchen floor. I mean, why do they make these ice cube thingies so hard to operate?
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 40mm x 115mm x 275mm
-Weight: 150g
-Makes 12 cubes
-Quick release mechanism
-Removes cubes one at a time
-Dishwasher safe
-Made of strong durable plastic
-Not available for delivery in the United States or Canada
How many times have you gone out with your buddies, only to realize that you all forgot who was bringing the beer? Or maybe one of you actually remembered the hooch, but it was like drinking liquid sunshine because Bob left it in the trunk of his car all day? It’s understandable – he had to work all day and the only time he could pick up a six pack was on his lunch break. These kinds of things can happen to anyone. The important thing is to not assign blame to anyone. Instead, we need to learn how to prevent these missteps so that our next camping trip, picnic, or BBQ isn’t ruined by the presence of undrinkable malt beverages.
The Beer Bag (Drinkstuff, £5.99) is designed to keep your cold ones cold, regardless of where you plan on enjoying them. Made of plastic, this beer holder holds six bottles or cans of your favorite beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, and actually keeps them cold. Just fill the bag with your bevs, then add ice and water until full. That’s it. That’s all you need to do to have a fully functional, ultra portable beer cooler. But unlike most coolers, it’s not bulky or ginormous; the bag folds flat for easy storage. Bet you can’t do that with your current cooler.
I wish I had one of these when I was in college. I was too busy running around with 30-packs hidden underneath a blanket and screwdrivers mixed in a water bottle to worry about whether or not my beer was cold. Ah, those were the days.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 180mm x 205mm x 145mm
-Weight: 132g
-Water tight beer cooler
-Just fill with water and ice
-Space for 6 bottles or cans
-Carry handle
-Folds flat for easy storage
-Ideal for parties and outdoor events
-Made of plastic
-Not available for delivery in USA or Canada
I am so freaking sick of all this snow! It actually wasn’t too bad of a winter, just a little snow here and there, possibly a notable storm or two. Then Phil had to go and see his shadow, and all hell done break loose. First there was one terrible two-day storm and then the next week you would have sworn it was Groundhog’s Day because the same damn thing happened all over again. So now it doesn’t matter if it snows again anytime soon because we’ll be too busy shoveling all that other snow for the rest of the winter season. I just know that it’s going get deceptively nice out and then one day we’re gonna get a freak snowstorm right in the middle of it.
Luckily, the Shuellas (Latest Buy, $49.95) can help all you ladies out there prepare for any such occasion. Designed to wear over shoes or high heels, these boot-shaped items are basically umbrellas for your feet. They easily fold up into an included carrying pouch to fit in your purse until you need them, then all you have to do is slide them on over your current footwear, affix the Velcro straps, and you’re good to go. With slip free soles on the bottom, you won’t have to worry about slipping and sliding in icy conditions. Also, these bad boys feature reinforced PVC soles on the inside to prevent wear, which is especially important for all your high heel wearers out there. Made of 100% waterproof material, you can just throw these on over your professional footwear when you’re hoofing it to the office and take them off once inside, with no damage to your expensive shoes. There’s even a towel included so you can wipe down the shoe protectors after use.
I know, they look a little hokey and the price may seem a bit steep, but I’m actually fully behind this product. I mean, how much does it suck to walk around in wet weather when you’re unprepared? You’re pretty much guaranteeing that you’re going to suffer through the way with wet socks – that’s not a pretty picture.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Includes one pair of Shuellas, carry pouch, and a towel
-Designed to wear over shoes or high heels during wet weather
-Available in women’s sizes 8, 9, 10
-Available in black or pink
-Slip free soles
-Velcro straps for quick and easy use
-Reinforced PVC soles to prevent wear from high heels
-Made of 100% waterproof material
There’s nothing like coming home to a tasty dessert after a long day at the office. Sure, some people might be more interested in a strong drink, but I like to go with dessert. Why? Because I feel like one drink leads to another which leads to another and that leads to another…you get the point here. Pretty soon, you’re smashed on a weekday and you’re sleeping through your alarm the next morning. And since that means that your day is only going to get worse from that point on, you’ve basically set yourself up for an entire week of alcoholism. Whereas, if you chose dessert instead of booze, you might just show up to work a little bloated the next day.
If you’re going to go the dessert route, then might I suggest the Prepara Volcano 4-Piece Pop Set (Wrapables, $11.95)? It looks like standard popsicle mold set, but it’s tweaked just enough to make it a bit more appealing. For starters, you get four molds in the set, but they’re not all attached, so you can make one, two, three, or all four at a time. Also, the mold itself leaves a small reservoir that allows for additional toppings to be added later. So if you’re using it to make mini pudding pops, maybe you want to had some whipped cream and sprinkles in there. Or perhaps you made some fruit slushies and you want to garnish each with a maraschino cherry – the sky’s the limit. But best of all, there’s a built-in “Sippin’ Lip” that catches any potential runoff from your popsicle.
Now, if you can’t let go of your after work martini routine, then perhaps you can spice it up a bit. Maybe with an alcoholic slushie? I hear they’re the new Jello shots.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4.75″ x 3″ x 2.75″
-Four molds
-Mold leaves reservoir for additional toppings
-Built in Sippin’ Lip
-Each mold holds approximately 3oz
-100% BOA free
-Made of plastic
