The key to wine may lie in the soil, but it's the container that carries a heavy carbon footprint. That's why Yealands—a sustainable winemaker from New Zealand—is producing wine in plastic bottles. Shattering the shining, purist image of glass, the recyclable PET plastic used in Yealands' newly launched Full Circle range generates 54% less greenhouse gas emissions and uses 19% less energy. The plastic bottles boast a weight saving of 89% over glass, earning them kudos as carbon-saving cargo.

The first full circle wine is a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. To ensure that the wine quality is unaffected, Full Circle bottles use new DiamondClear technology, which keeps oxygen out of the wine, and feature best-before labels advising customers to drink the wine within 18 months. Yealands' owner, Peter Yealands, believes that plastic-bottled wine is here to stay: "Tim Atkin, one of the UK’s leading wine critics from the Observer, has declared war on overweight packaging by vowing to boycott wines sold in heavyweight wine bottles," he says.

Yealands' efforts at sustainability are far-reaching, from a solar- and wind-powered winery, to replacing lawnmowers with sheep in the vineyards. The company has already earned a CarboNZero certification from New Zealand's Landcare Research organisation; the Full Circle range will bring Yealands yet more eco-bounty. Not only will it appeal to green-conscious consumers, the smaller size and lighter weight of the plastic bottles also makes them more convenient for picnics, and a new option for pubs and outdoor events where glass is banned.

There are definite echoes of the screw-top vs. cork debate—will plastic bottles be the next vinous trend? (Related: Local bottling makes for greener wine at Waitrose.)

Website: www.yealands.com
Contact: michael@yealands.co.nz

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

Charcoal lighter fluid is responsible for the release of some 14,500 tons of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere in the US each year, according to the EPA, which is one of the reasons there's growing interest in charcoal alternatives like Sologear's uGO FlameDisk. For those too attached to that authentic charcoal flavour, however, there's now a chemical-free, eco-minded option.

One Light Charcoal is a single-use charcoal bag featuring an internal chimney that uses air rather than harmful accelerants to ignite and roast the charcoal. No lighter fluid is added; rather, the consumer simply opens the bag, lights the long-stem match provided and places it in the chimney. The bag then burns from the inside out, allowing the charcoal to roast before the bag itself burns off, leaving only a pyramid of red-hot coals.

The brain child of Texas-based Innovative Barbecue Solutions, One Light Charcoal is priced at about USD 3.50 per three-pound bag and sold through stores including HEB, Wal-Mart and Whole Foods. Retailers in other parts of the world: one to add to your outdoor grilling section?

Website: www.onelightcharcoal.com
Contact: www.onelightcharcoal.com/contact.php

Spotted by: Shelly Wares

Opportunity awaits those who can make consumers' lives easier, as countless innovations prove every day. Take choosing a wine. We've already seen several efforts to simplify the process of finding a good one for drinking—including, among many other approaches, a classification system that uses colours and numbers—and now California-based Académie Culinary Wines aims to do the same for wines that will be used in cooking.

Académie wines are sourced directly from California's premier wine regions. With the help of gourmet chefs, the company has developed a line including four blends that are designed to make culinary creations the best they can possibly be. Blend #1, for example, is designed for use in red sauces and meat dishes. Blend #2, meanwhile, targets seafood, poultry and pork. Blend #3 aims to complement beef and poultry marinades, while Blend #4 is for game bird, fish and lamb. All Académie wines are highly suitable for drinking as well, the company says, and are packaged in a convenient, waste-proof 375mL size that's still ample for tasting while the cooking proceeds. To facilitate the culinary magic, the Académie site includes a variety of recipes geared toward each of the wines in its line.

Available online and from select California retailers, Académie wines come in single 375mL bottles for USD 7.99 each or sampler packs of four for USD 28.76. Shipping is currently available only within California; one to partner with and bring to the rest of the cooking world? (Related: Wine tasting packs feature four mini samples — Wine search engine uses animation to visualize aromas — Modern wine paired with ancient Roman cuisine — Sommelier, go away: food pairing made easy.)

Website: www.academiewines.com
Contact: support@academiewines.com

Professionally made desserts are all very well, but for true bake-it-yourself types, there's nothing like a homemade confection. Much the way Sprinkles Cupcakes mixes aim to give baking enthusiasts a way to emulate professional results in their own kitchens, so Ticings allow them to add a dash of photographic-quality art.

Ticings are edible images that can be applied to cakes, cookies, brownies and cupcakes. Users need only peel them from their paper backing and then press them onto a baked confection. Whereas some baking embellishments drag when cut, Ticings merge with soft frosting to create edible art that creates no resistance for the knife. Launched last month, the US-made decorations—which are FDA approved, kosher certified and gluten free—are available from LA-based Ticings in sheets of 12 2.25-inch images for USD 15.95 or 35 1.25-inch images for USD 22.95. Themes include birthdays, weddings and seasonal motifs; shipping is available only within the continental US. Coming soon from the company are gourmet artisan sprinkles.

Giving crafty consumers yet another way to make it themselves—upgraded to help them compete with the professionals—Ticings will soon also be available through a bakery in northern California. Other gourmet retailers around the world: time to add yourself to that list? (Related: Upscale takeaway meets onsite cooking school — Shirt sold out? Make it yourself — DIY wedding rings.)

Website: www.ticings.com
Contact: hello@ticings.com

Spotted by: Lara McCulloch

Back in 2008 we wrote about MakeTheTea.com, a online tool created by dairy brand Cravendale to facilitate the tea-making process among groups. Now, Danish butter brand Lurpak is similarly encouraging online conversation about their brand via a new website called Bake Club.

Targetting consumers in the UK, Bake Club is an interactive baking club that allows amateur bakers to connect and have bake-offs. Bakers create a group, invite people to join and set up a baking schedule. Members are called to task via an e-mail alert with a date for baking. Members then share, rate and comment on each other’s bakes. Pictures of people's cakes, cookies and pies are displayed both on the website and on Flickr.

Blending one part viral marketing, one part life hack, one part social network and a generous dollop of the most vital ingredient — consumers — Lurpak obviously hopes to build name recognition and sell more butter. With tea-making and baking covered, will we see other brands join the club?

Website: www.bakeclub.co.uk
Contact: www.bakeclub.co.uk/contact

Spotted by: Ant Cauchi