I usually like Boon products. We have a couple even but what made those Boon purchases worth it in my mind was that they replaced an unhealthy chemical laden product we might normally purchase with something, better… in terms of safety and design. Bath toys from Boon are an example of something I can find value in, since conventional bath toys may have PVC or BPA, but one of their latest products has me scratching my head.
The Boon Glass Drying Rack is super cute and very clever I admit… but absolutely a waste of resources to make in my opinion. Do we REALLY need a plastic drying tray that looks like grass? Is there something wrong with drying our baby spoons on a metal rack next to the adult spoons or drying that pacifier on a clean towel if you have no drying rack?
One of the peeves I have with the "healthier" plastic movement and of course the green products movement is that it isn't really green or healthy if we get sucked into buying more plastic stuff just because its cute. Yeah this rack is ADORABLE but you can't sell me on the idea that you NEED it… no not even a little. In fact the idea makes me reevaluate whether those bath toys were such a grand idea. I should have just thrown some stainless steel ramekins or tumblers in the tub and just wiped them clean afterward… holy smokes I fell for greenwashing!
When products go from useful in providing a safe alternative… to just plain silly, I lose faith. Call me a cynic I guess.
I think you really took this over board. “I fell for greenwashing!” They don’t green wash, they just made a product you don’t like. But they still make a good products besides this one. Come on, every company makes something silly that we dont need. Actually I dont use a drying rack and I use a towl to dry my bbay products. I LOVE this idea so much better than the traditional bottle drying racks bcus you can dry so many other baby products. Don’t bash a good company. Gesssss. At least someone is making these green products chemical free.
I think you have an excellent point and it is one I haven’t really thought about. Glad you brought it up though. Thanks.
I know what you mean! Like, yes you can buy an umbrella made of 90% recycle water bottles… but do you actually need an umbrella? (that’s my guilt “green” item – yes actually I did need an umbrella, but I shop at second hand stores most of the time anyway, I bought the umbrella ’cause it would advertise that I’m green minded…. )
All companies are out to make money, this is not necessarily a bad thing. If they don’t make money, they can’t continue to sell you the green and healthy products that you actually need. Most companies can’t stay afloat with just a few items… the dish rack is cute, it’s small so you’re more likely to wash it in-between each washing, and many people do feel they need a dish rack rather than a towel (they don’t, but dish racks do make life easier). So, if someone finds that their old dish rack is rusty or bent etc… then this is a good product for a replacement… it’s the unnecessary I want it ’cause it’s green not ’cause I need it that we should scowl at.
Katharyn, I agree that sometimes we need to buy a new drying rack, although I do not see how buying a plastic one would ever be favorable to buying metal or bamboo.. also this rack is designed for baby stuff.. I doubt full size dishes are going to fit in there, and babies don’t need their own drying rack by any stretch of the imagination.
I realized when I was half a sleep that it was just for baby items, and must agree a total resource waste. Thumbs down to the product, raised eyebrows to the company.
You are right there are other alternatives. I use a bamboo drying rack. Truthfully, using the dishwasher is more “green” than hand washing anyway. But, people do need new drying racks, they may prefer not to use a towel, and so this offers them a good alternative to buying harmful plastic ones. Boon is a good company, dedicated to giving back to society and creating better alternatives for our plastic products. The key is, don’t buy this rack unless you need a rack.
I totally agree with your viewpoint. A complete waste and unnecessary use of production, materials and resources. It may be eco-plastic, and many people love to jump on the green living bandwagon, all considered there are better alternatives. We should be encouraging a move away from mass production and reinvent traditional methods to be truly cutting edge. Bravo for the post.
Guess I’m a cynic, too :)
I like it, because i have a lot of little things I hand wash and fall through the “adult” drying rack. I think it’s a good idea.
I just use a towel.
It is cute, but it seems like it would be a breeding ground for mold and mildew because of all of the little crevices between the blades of the grass. It definitely wouldn’t be as easy to clean as a regular rack.
I use the dishwasher for most things. There are items like my kitchen knives that I don’t want to dull by using the dish washer or need a hand wash. My kitchen knives don’t fit in the utensil cup without falling out or over. The blades of ‘grass’ in this drying rack keep them from falling over and out of the sink.