reusable

LunchBots: Boxes, bags 'pail' in comparison

If you're looking for an alternative to plastic containers and zip-top bags for food storage, consider LunchBots. The containers and their lids are available in four sizes and are made from 18/8 stainless steel that won't leach chemicals into food. Designed to fit in lunch boxes, backpacks, and even purses, LunchBots are dishwasher safe and are lab certified to be lead-free.

The Uno and Eco models each offer a single storage compartment: the Uno is sized for a burrito, sushi, or a sandwich, and the Eco is designed to hold larger portions. The Duo and Pico have … Read more

The metal lunchbox is back

A few months ago, I got a sample of the Kids Konserve lunch bag, gave it to my daughter, and wrote about it. My other daughter was furious that no company had sent me an eco-friendly lunch box for her to carry. Well, that's still true, but I've at least tracked down another option to write about, even if I can't make my daughter a tester.

The PlanetBox is a funky retro-looking stainless-steel lunch box. It's slightly bento-style in that it separates food into distinct, built-in compartments. Food goes directly into the box, eliminating the need … Read more

Reusable lunch kits for kids

Ah, school lunches. Brown bags, zip-top baggies, paper napkins, plastic water bottles--not the most environmentally friendly solution. And thankfully, companies are starting to realize that, and come up with innovative ideas. Like the Kids Konserve Waste-Free Lunch Kit, an eco-friendly yet stylish lunch bag that includes stainless steel containers, reusable sandwich wraps and cloth napkins--all made from the safest, nonleaching, bisphenol-A-free (BPA), lead-free, and phthalate-free materials.

The lunch kit comes with a stainless-steel beverage bottle you can fill with water or juice, 2 8-ounce stainless-steel containers with leakproof plastic lids, a reusable baggie for sandwiches, a cloth napkin, and a … Read more

Reusable ice cubes from Mother Nature

I don't like watered down drinks, so I've been known to use reusable ice cubes rather than plain frozen water. When I was looking for a new set, Mocha's Nordic Rocks caught my eye. These reusable ice cubes are durable, nontoxic--and made out of rock! They come in sets of 10. Each rock is 22 millimeters cubed. To use the Nordic Rock cubes, you just place them in the freezer for about an hour. You'll probably need two or three for a glass, but Nordic Rocks give off the cold slowly.

Nordic Rock is mined from &… Read more

Third-world lessons for recycling phones

SAN FRANCISCO--Jan Chipchase is a cell phone modification guru. A researcher at Nokia Design in Tokyo, he's seen cell phones modified to hold up to 16 SIM cards and plenty more in his role at the company.

Chipchase is a member of a team at Finnish cell phone giant Nokia that's trying to lower the cost of phones for emerging markets, an effort that's part market development and part recycling. The group of 15 has scanned bazaars and street shops in places as diverse as Ghana, Brazil, Iran, India, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, China, and Mongolia to learn … Read more