The Red, White, and Green

Since the BP oil spill, I’ve become pretty much consumed trying to eliminate every last possible petroleum-based product from my daily routine. I know my actions aren’t going to stop the spill directly, but it feels good to know that I may be helping to reduce our reliance on oil in the long run. As Amanda Little, author of Power Trip, has said, we need to save what little oil we have left for “its best and highest use,” finding sustainable alternatives wherever possible.

To that end, today’s featured alternative is a totally nifty product called EcoCradle. You know those big pieces of polystyrene that are used to cushion the ends of furniture and electronics in shipping boxes? Well, instead of being made from petroleum, EcoCradle is manufactured (actually grown, using a living organism) from agricultural byproducts like cotton burrs and buckwheat hulls. The process uses a mere one-tenth of the energy required to make synthetic polystyrene.

When you’re done with EcoCradle, it can be tossed in your garden or compost pile. It can even go in the trash, since it’s designed to break down in an air-locked landfill.

One of my favorite companies, Steelcase (oh, how I love your vintage tanker desk), has just announced it will begin shipping its products with the EcoCradle packaging. If you have a company that ships using traditional polystyrene, you should consider the switch, too — EcoCradle can be made into any shape and size, and is currently cost-competitive with other foam and bubble wraps on the market.

–Jennifer Grayson

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