New Bambu Kitchen Items
by TreeHugger on 04. 8.05
Bambu is definitely on the right track -- their designs are clean and modern and their primary material is organically grown bamboo. The lacquerware bowls pictured here are hand-coiled, moulded and finished with a waterproof natural laquer. They sell for $48 at Re:Modern.
What do we have here? It's none other than a spork (a combination of spoon and fork) translated into bamboo! They go for $8.50 each.
Bambu have also created these serving trays with bamboo peeled directly from the stalk. They are intended to replace paper plates at your outdoor or indoor soirees. They biodegrade in about 4-6 months after disposal. A package of four, 8" trays goes for $8.
Treehugger readers can receive free shipping on any purchase from Re:Modern by entering coupon code "treefriend" at time of checkout.
[by Justin Thomas]
why is bamboo so expensive, if it is so easily grown? is it hard to manufacture into things? is it just the trendiness that is costing so much? One would think wares of grass would be ludicrously cheap.
Manufacture might be the wrong word:
"Our unique layering process permeates each bowl with 18 layers of natural lacquer to create a remarkably durable and waterproof, food-safe finish."
I think that pretty much makes them an art/craft product. That's great. There is certainly a place for that.
On the other hand, lowering the environmental impact of mass-market products might do more to change the world. Maybe a case in point is Sears' self-congratulation on their Energy Star contribution. I think they have a right to be proud:
"Everything. Sears and ENERGY STAR are working together to bring you the energy efficient products you need for your home and office. Even better – they are easy to identify by looking for the ENERGY STAR logo. Each year the typical house adds more greenhouse gas pollution through emissions of carbon dioxide than the average car. If all households and businesses in the U.S. purchased ENERGY STAR products instead of conventional new equipment, the national annual energy bill would be reduced by about $100 billion over the next 15 years, and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be equivalent to taking 17 million cars off the road for each of those fifteen years."
... I guess what I'm saying is that there are economies of scale, even when the "economy" is a "treehugger" one.
I forgot that a-tags get eaten, the link is:
http://www.sears.com/data/advertisements/sears_energystar_0715.html