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Eating Green with Michigan Green Safe Products
The last time I got a salad from Whole Foods, it confused me a bit. Gone were the traditional plastic containers I was used to filling up at $6.99 a pound.
Instead, 2 strangely colored vessels awaited which I could only compare to a very soft cardboard. Cardboard. Eating out of cardboard? Whatever. I was in a hurry and hungry. Tried not to give it too much thought.
Then, a couple weeks ago, I read an article in Detroit's Metromode which talked about the companies 'round town changing up their carry-out containers from traditional Styrofoam to something a little more earth friendly. They listed a few restaurants that had made the change and linked to a local company that was providing the "green" containers. I obligingly clicked through to find Michigan Green Safe and those quirky little brown bowls again.
Turns out the the strange material has a name: bagasse. Hmm...sounds fancy. Tell me more:
"Bagasse products are made from a renewable resource - sugarcane. After the cane juice is extracted from the plant, the stalk is ground up and made into paper pulp called Bagasse. This paper pulp is then made into a variety of products, including plates, bowls and food containers. Bagasse products are heat-stable, grease-resistant, microwave safe, and sturdy enough for all of your food needs. Better yet, bagasse products are usually less expensive than their paper counterparts!"
NICE! I now feel a bit silly about my disgruntled mumbling, but hey, I'm all for the little things that add up to making life better. They've also got corn-based products - clearly a renewable resource. I should have known better - Whole Foods is pretty well known for doing the right things for the environment.
Check out the article to find some other Detroit area places doing their part. It's just another inch in the right direction...
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