Bobbie Thomas, The Today Show Style editor and author of the Buzz column for In Touch Weekly, offers her latest roundup of buzz-worthy items:   Plates with a purpose Whether your New Year’s resolution was to help yourself or to help the environment, there’s a perfect plate out there for you. First, a... read more

The Green Dilemma: You’ve got company coming and you don’t have enough dishes to serve the crowd (not to mention the no-fun task of washing up afterwards). What’s the green host to do? Wow your guests with dinnerware made from fallen leaves by VerTerra. I saw these first used at... read more

You’ve got party plans. And your regular dinnerware just won’t accommodate the crowd. What’s the green solution?   There are several options on the market, including recycled plastic plates and pressed paper plates that will biodegrade (shout out to Chinet; who knew?). But there’s only one product we’ve seen that covers the green spectrum like moss on... read more

-- Deborah L. Cohen covers small business for Reuters.com. She can be reached at smallbusinessbigissues@yahoo.com -- By Deborah L. Cohen CHICAGO (Reuters.com) - Every fall Americans rake up their leaves, stuff them into paper bags and kick them to the curb without ever thinking about the business opportunity they are throwing away. Michael Dwork used... read more

Intrigued by the possibility of single-use tableware made exclusively of pressed, organic fallen leaves (no colors, no binders, and no coating or stabilizers added), we asked Micheal of VerTerra to share some product table-top shots with us. We'll intersperse them with a few text snippets.   Our entire process is run... read more

Best of show: Verterra dishware made from discarded leaves. These plates and trays are made from fallen palm leaves that have been pressed together using a unique chemical-free bonding system. The production process creates only one bag of garbage per week. The dishware is light and looks like a beautiful grained... read more

I just love parties. Some might say it's in my DNA. So when the holidays roll around and the invitations start arriving, I'm one happy gal. In some cases, my friends' annual parties are my only time to catch up with certain members of our group. It's just so much... read more

If you’re planning an outdoor party, it’s challenging to stick to your principles when it comes to discarding the remains of the day. Given that Americans throw out nearly 100 billion plastic, paper and styrofoam plates and cups each year–most of which are made from petroleum-based plastics, hazardous foam or... read more

Slide 8 LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., Oct 24, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- At an event that drew more than 2,100 exhibitors, VerTerra's stylish, versatile and compostable dinnerware stoof out from the pack, winning the Natural Products Expo East's 2008 Best New Green/Environmentally-friendly Product Award.   "At VerTerra, we are truly thrilled to... read more

VerTerra, a new eco-friendly servingware line, features dishes, plates, bowls, and cups made entirely from fallen leaves and water—no plastics or chemicals. The pieces have a wood-grain look and are oven-, refrigerator-, and microwave-friendly. They are sturdy enough to be hand washed and reused, but will naturally compost in under... read more

Verterra Single-Use Dinnerware Being green is about being altruistic. It’s about being concerned for something greater than the individual. It’s about caring about our world and our kids’ world. It IS all those things. But sometimes, it’s also about being cool. And nothing will get the guests at your next soiree murmuring “wow,... read more

I brought some samples of VerTerra’s thoroughly sustainable and thoughtfully produced plates and bowls to my office to give them a rough test drive. I’m a salad girl and I love to use a lot of dressing and mix up all kinds of mushy stuff with my green mess, so... read more

Cool plates, my kids said, as I served them dinner one recent evening. So they were astounded at the end of the meal when I threw them away. I was just following the manufacturer's instructions. And being good to the Earth, too. The dinnerware we used comes from VerTerra, and each piece is made from... read more

VerTerra’s reusable dishes, made from fallen leaves instead of paper, are microwave- and oven-safe (from $4.99 for 8-pack; verterra.com).      Source: http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/eco-checklist-opt-for-compostable-plates PDF Download: VerTerra in Food & Wine Magazine Aug. 08  read more

Spring ’09’s hottest color? You guessed it: Green. Directives to incorporate corporate social responsibility (CSR) into meeting and event programs are at an all-time high, making green initiatives increasingly important. And in this economy, conserving resources is more hip than ever. That’s why Event Solutions is sponsoring the California Green... read more

It’s not uncommon to find biodegradable or compostable plates or cups being used for dinners or events lately, but sometimes creating recycled paper products takes more energy than they’re worth. That’s why Verterra’s all-natural dinnerware stands out as different from the rest. Although the company has been around for a couple... read more

We've been thinking more about sustainability for products that might be treated as "use and discard" by even eco-conscious parents under certain circumstances, and about minimizing our use of short-lifespan plastics. On that note, we've collected a mix of items that reflect a level of quality that really pleases... read more

Maybe the water heater is broken, or you have a huge crowd coming for a backyard barbecue, or your picnic in the park does not allow for cleanup time afterwards. The bottom line: Even the most environmentally correct of us can't avoid disposable dishware from time to time. The problem: Traditional... read more

Home and housewares show promotes gadgets that can help consumers save money, environment   You're staying home more, entertaining more there (potlucks, dinner parties, cocktails), spending less on lattés and lunches out. Being green is important to you - but you won't pay a lot for it (or anything else, for that... read more

When it comes to outdoor parties, casual is the name of the game. There's no need to go overboard with decorations or activities, but Bussen has several easy ideas for setting the scene. The Table For a Fourth of July gathering, Bussen insists that you don't need to have everything red,... read more

No one likes to spend the better part of her July 4th celebration in the kitchen washing up. Even if you use single-use plates and cups, what about serve ware?  Yes, you can serve watermelon on newspapers straight from a picnic table, but I wouldn’t recommend trying it with chili... read more

VerTerra bowls, plates, and serveware are not only gorgeous, they're about as green as you can get.  Made with just fallen leaves and water, the company gets eco-bonus points for upcycling, using less energy than it takes to recycle, and recapturing 80% of the water used in production. Now, in terms... read more

When you think of eco friendly plates and bowls, what comes to mind? Pale, pasty, meek little things, that melt at the slightest hint of heat, and never mind going anywhere near an oven. And have you tried to actually compost or biodegrade one? Generally there’s a disconnect between the green... read more

Want to host a garden party that Emily Post would be proud of, but without racking up consumer-remorse? You can have your party and your politics too—just think neither paper nor plastic, and you’ll come out with your low carbon footprint intact. Get your grill on with our zero-waste barbecue... read more

VerTerra dinnerware deserves every award and accolade they receive!  While company founder Michael Dwork was traveling through India, he observed a woman cooking and serving food at the side of the road.  Using only leaves and water, she made plates in a hot press and used them to serve the food.... read more

Since my blog has been catching on recently, I decided to add a fun twist – the BoB (BabeofBusiness) Coolness Counts awards. Each month, I’ll put the spotlight on four lucky newcomers worthy of the honor of being dubbed a Cool Start-Up. So without further ado, here are... read more

We're pretty tough on the products that make it to publication on Mama Speaks, so in a sense we think they're all the best. But, there are always ones that stand out, personal faves, things that even amongst ourselves bring the gushings, "You MUST see/try/use/buy this!!!" These are different for... read more

Maybe you don't need eco-friendly salad bowls, a flip-flop rack or a set of rolling penguin salt and pepper shakers that glide across the table, but some inventors think you do. Here are some of the products that debuted at this year's International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago: A better... read more

Sure you have probably heard of, or even used eco-friendly containers, such as those made from bio-plastic W a.k.a corn derivatives. But have you baked with them? VerTerra ,(which is Latin for "close to earth"), have these really nifty eco-friendly trays, and now bowls, that are really versatile. Below... read more

I first saw these disposable plates in the September issue of Fast Company magazine. I was so intrigued that I went to Whole Foods to buy a package of eight for $6.50. As a single person living alone and a new greenie, these plates would be a God-send for me... read more

Verterra's single-use eco-friendly (biodegradable, compostable, chemical-free) dinnerware collection is made from fallen leaves.  The plates not only look Swiss-Family-Robinson chic, but are microwavable and oven safe.  Learn more at www.verterra.com.   Source: Faith & Family Magazine, Nov/Dec '09  --  PDF Tear Sheet   read more

Tired of using boring old paper plates? Want something that is eco-friendly,... read more