New products can help home sustainability efforts

I feel like a kid with three new toys. Very grown-up toys. I’ve been committed to saving all kitchen scraps - peels, stems, bread crusts, leftovers, etc. - for some time. Everything goes to the backyard compost pile so the chickens can do what they do best. Eat, scatter, eat, scatter, fertilize, eat and scatter. All day long. The result is rich, beautiful soil which grows fat juicy tomatoes and other vegetables in my container garden. Until now, I haven’t bothered to get any kind of countertop bin for those scraps. Instead, I would pull a bowl or some other kind of container out of the cabinet and let the scraps pile up. Not the prettiest way to save. And, in the warmer months, things can get a bit stinky. Like most households, we also recycle. So, tucked under the sink, two plastic bins collect trash and recyclables. When it’s time to put everything on the street the bins, which are overflowing by this time, come out. Then it’s time to rummage around under the sink for stray cans and bottles that have fallen out of the bins. With all that pulling and stuffing, the plastic tends to crack and split. Not the most efficient way to sort. And, finally, like most houses, there is a roll of paper towels on the counter in my kitchen. I try, whenever I can, to use cotton towels for ordinary cleanups to avoid the cost and waste of the paper. But there are occasions when the paper works best. My pet peeve is paper towel holders which allow too many sheets to escape when all you needed was one. The thing is, I live in a small house with an open floor plan. You can’t hide a lot. The recycling bin is tucked under the sink so I don’t have to look at a jumble of cans, bottles and newspapers as I go through the day. The paper towel holder I have been using looked good but didn’t do the job. Obviously a bowl of kitchen scraps isn’t attractive no matter how you look at it. So, in one step, I managed to tame all three issues. I went Simplehuman. I’ve been a fan of Simplehuman products for some time. They’re always well-made. They’re relevant. And, well, they’re attractive. The stainless steel steel recycler is clean and fits nicely next to the work table in my kitchen; no more overflowing plastic containers under the sink. The same with the compost pail. It is sturdy, fits nicely with the other appliances, is easy to clean and has a filter to absorb odors. And, finally, I’ve found a paper towel holder that does its job. A small arm holds the roll allowing only one sheet at a time to escape. I know there will always be those who roll their eyes at aesthetics. But I spend a lot of time in my house. My office is at home. The way it is decorated has a lot to do with my outlook as I go through my day. Granted, Simplehuman products aren’t cheap. But, in a way, that’s the point. It isn’t just that they look good. They last and they come with a guarantee. I don’t want to have to replace anything for a long time.