Go native: It’s Native Plant Appreciation Week and you can do just that on a guided walk at Deception Pass Tuesday. The public is welcome to tag along on a free hike through the woods to an open bluff full of spring flowers near Goose Rock. The walk, led by members of the Salal Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society, begins promptly at 10 a.m. Meet at the parking lot off Highway 20 just before the Deception Pass bridge. The hike is moderate but does include some hills. For more information, contact Ann Dursch at 360-293-3044.
Grant a wish: The online referral company Angie’s List wants to grant 10 home improvement wishes to people who need a helping hand. The company is accepting e-mail nominations until July 15 for the Wishmakers Program. Past winners include a wheelchair-bound mother of seven who needed a kitchen renovation and landscaping, and a new washer and dryer and housecleaning for an elderly couple. Nominations should include the submitter’s name, city, state, phone number, specific wish and the nominee’s name and contact information. You can’t nominate yourself. You don’t have to use the Angie’s List service to nominate someone. Send nominations to wishmakers@angieslist.com.
Nothing but corn: Pop your potato and corn on a potato and corn plate. As picnic and cookout time gets under way, look out for guilt-free disposable dinnerware.
One example: EarthShell biodegradable dinnerware made from potatoes, corn and limestone, all natural, renewable sources, is now available nationally from major stores such as WalMart and Target.
EarthShell’s plates and bowls come in plain white and that’s natural, too, said Bob Pondo, vice president of Renewable Products Inc., the product’s manufacturer. “EarthShell contains no bleach, it’s naturally the color of those starches and the limestone. They give it an eggshell, off-white look.”
He said the mix of ingredients in the product is 70 percent corn and potato starch to 30 percent limestone, making it a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic and foam as well as tree-based paper disposable dinnerware.
You can microwave this heat-, moisture- and cut-resistant dinnerware, and a serving of hot soup won’t make it soggy, but don’t use it for the oven, grill or dishwasher.
When it’s used and ready to toss, it’s best to add it to a compost heap, Pondo said, although if it gets overlooked in a grassy environment or dropped in the sea by mistake it will still biodegrade.
A package of 25 plates or 30 bowls retails for $2.50 to $2.99.
See it on their Web site: renewable-products.com/ index.html.
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