Buy a skillet, plant a tree

OK, so maybe it's not as catchy as "Save the cheerleader, save the world" but I think Earthchef has got something going for it!

The Canadian line of earth-friendly pots, pans, utensils, induction cooktops and cutlery, manufactured by Berghoff and sold at the Bay, Zellers and Home Outfitters (check them out online here) also happens to be pretty and both user- and wallet-friendly.

The company has also partnered with Tree Canada to reduce its carbon footprint, and for every 11-inch skillet sold, the company will sponsor the planting of one tree and its maintenance for five years.

They sent me their 11-inch skillet to try, and I must say that I was very impressed. The non-stick ceramic coating (touted as being six times stronger than traditional non-stick coatings) lived up to its name, surviving both my metal spatula and my cooking without incident.   

That performance, when paired with the skillet's $30 price and recycled packaging, was enough to convince me to check out the rest of their line on my own dime - I've already got my eye on their bamboo cutting boards.