Review: Hefty Basics Biodegradable Compostable Paper Plates

In my home and daycare, we don’t use paper plates because of how non-Green they are. When I was offered a review about Hefty® Basics™ Paper Plates, I decided to give it a go. Hefty® Basics™ are eco-friendly paper plates that are biodegradable and compostable, thus making them Green and right up my alley. Don’t think that because they are Green that they are wimpy though, they certainly are not. They are very strong, much better than cheap paper plates, more comparable to Dixie-type or Styrofoam (which is VERY bad for the environment). These microwavable plates would be great for family gatherings, barbecues, or just for semi-regular use. I still don’t condone the use of paper plates full time, but these are paper plates I can agree with for occasional use.

Hefty® Basics™ come in two sizes, 8 5/8 inch lunch plates and 10 ½ inch dinner plates. Lunch plates are 45 to a pack, dinner are 24 to a pack. Also, Hefty® Basics™ has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation™ on a quest to plant 10,000 trees, one for every ten new “Like”s on Facebook. Do your part in getting new trees planted by visiting Hefty Basics on Facebook and clicking their "Like" button.

Look for Hefty® Basics™ plates wherever Hefty products are sold.


Thank you to Hefty for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.

Living Green With Jerinda: Spin Bin Compost Tumbler

A few months ago I was given the opportunity to try out a small composter. That review prompted me to finally start the compost pile that I had always wanted to. For those that don’t know what composting is, composting is "the transformation of organic material (plant matter) through decomposition into a soil-like material called compost" (from howtocompost.org). Instead of making all your food, yard, and paper leftovers into waste, composting turns it into a usable substance: fertilizer. Having the compost pile in my yard was easy, though very unsightly so I was more than happy to try out a tumbling compost bin from Clean Air Gardening.

The Spin Bin compost tumbler is the perfect large composter. It was very easy to assemble, stands about 4 feet tall, is very lightweight but sturdy, and holds about a month’s worth of compostable materials from my family and daycare. We immediately started moving our old compost pile into the Spin Bin and added more of our daily food scraps as well as our yard clipping and shredded newspaper to create a perfectly balanced compost. I particularly love its ability to spin, thus mixing the materials inside and creating a perfect combination of organic material to be used on the garden.

I had never tried an actual composter before and I am more than thrilled with this one. We are now composting everything we can and we have passed the passion for it down to our children and the children in the daycare. They all love coming out and helping spin it around.

Clean Air Gardening offers a vast selection of environmentally friendly lawn and garden supplies. To view their full selection of compost bins, rain barrels, organic pest control, gardening tools, and more, visit CleanAirGardening.com . You can also keep up-to-date on the latest eco-friendly gardening products by visiting Clean Air Gardening on Facebook and on Twitter.

Thank you to Clean Air Gardening for sending us a sample product free of charge to base this review upon.

Giveaway & Review: Bamboo Compost Pail from EcoMom ($20 GC) [CLOSED]

When I was given the opportunity to review something from EcoMom, I was more than a little excited. Offering eco-friendly baby products – EcoMom was my kind of website. After browsing their easily navigated site, I was in love. They have so many great, ‘Green’ products, and not just baby stuff. I immediately knew I wanted their Bamboo Compost Pail. I hadn’t actually started composting my leftovers yet, but I knew that I needed a push and this was it.

For those that don’t know what composting is, composting is "the transformation of organic material (plant matter) through decomposition into a soil-like material called compost" (from howtocompost.org). Instead of making all your food leftovers into waste, composting turns it into a usable substance: fertilizer.

This composter is a mini-sized one, perfect for sitting on your counter collecting leftovers instead of having to run out to the pile all the time. I have been dumping it every couple of days, but not for any reason other than just wanting to.

This pail comes with a replaceable charcoal filter. I’ve had no smell seeping out of it and I haven’t actually filled it up once. It is so nice looking on my counter that no one knows it’s a compost pail and it really adds convenience to my life. It’s really well made too, which is a plus so that it will last a long time. This compost pail has pushed me into finally being a composter, which makes me feel really good about being more green.

EcoMom has a new program, EcoPass, which allows customers to purchase a $99 annual membership that gets you a 15% discount on every order, as well as free shipping with no minimum requirement. First time EcoMom customers can use Code: SBBL362 at checkout for a 15% discount from now through July 31st, 2010 and also can receive free shipping on qualified purchases of $75 or more.

To keep up with the latest about living green, sign up for the EcoMom newsletter. You can also follow EcoMomCEO on Twitter and EcoMom on Facebook.

Thank you to EcoMom for sending us a sample compost pail free of charge to base this review upon and for providing a gift certificate for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $20 EcoMom gift certificate.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of eco-friendly products offered by EcoMom. Then leave a comment telling me the name of one item you might use your gift certificate towards if you won this contest (aside from the product reviewed in this article). You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2)

For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND EcoMom.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4)

For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry each, follow

EcoMomCEO on Twitter

and/or "Like"

EcoMom on Facebook

. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6)

Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)

Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)

Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)

Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10)

Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

<br /> <a href="http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd206/Busymonkeez/Graphics4Me/NEWBlogButton125x125.jpg" /></a><br /><br />

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, July 19th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!