Spring 2011

Third Annual Eco-Choice Awards By Haley Shapley

Most Innovative

Winner: Growbottle Upcycled HydroGarden by Potting Shed Creations

Restaurant wine bottles get a new life after they’re done serving oenophiles, with Growbottle, a high-yielding yet low-impact haven for cultivating fresh herbs year-round.

Each upcycled Growbottle comes with seed, nutrient for the water, a natural wool wick, vermiculite, and clay pebbles to grow plants such as basil, chives, mint, oregano, and parsley. The hydro-garden method is fast, high-yielding and a low impact way to garden right in a windowsill. “It seems so simple, but it’s aesthetically attractive in a sculptural way,” says Ann Killen, co-owner at Potting Shed Creations in Troy, Idaho. “It takes kind of a complex gardening tactic and simplifies it down so pretty much everyone thinks, ‘I could try that.'”

The Growbottle is meant to be reused indefinitely in conjunction with replant kits, or recycled. Potting Shed manufactures all products by hand, resulting in minimal waste. This product was designed to be self-contained and therefore requires minimal packaging. Potting Shed Creations provides regular product donations to support local and national causes. The company also allocates portions of revenue to organizations such as Save the Children for Haiti.

pottingshedcreations.com

NOTABLES

Piperoid by Magnote

Piperoid is an eco-friendly paper craft robot. It is made out of just recycled paper pipes with pre-drilled holes and marks to cut, fold, and connect the pipes. All the joints move freely since no tape or glue is needed.

magnote.com

Soft Cork Adjust-A-Bowl by Bambu

Bambu’s cork fiber is renewable, durable, and reusable. Compared to many other materials, its production uses no bleaches and little water, nor any other highly intensive procedures to process. The company is a member of Collective Responsibility in China and 3M Alliance in Ecuador.

bambuhome.com

Haley Shapley

Haley Shapley is a Seattle-based freelance writer who 
specializes in retail, travel and health topics. Learn more at www.haleyshapley.com.