nygardener said: "I tried those bio bags or eco bags for a while, still have some in the cabinet, but found that they didn't degrade quickly. Weeks later I'd see the bag still intact in the compost heap. They may be good for municipal collection but not for backyard composting." I used those bio bags for a while back in 2006 or 2007, and I'm still finding relatively intact pieces in the pile. Granted I run a cold pile that's slower than many, but I've still gotten plenty of good compost out of it. I just keep throwing the green bio bag pieces back into the beginning pile. The bio bags were convenient for carrying the scraps out to the pile, but I might just as well have used plastic bags. Now I'm trying to figure out what I can do with the unused roll I have under the sink. Claire

I looked at life liner and cushy cupboards and others, but went with another option, trying to duplicate the clean look of my poly-woven placemats that I love--purchased a poly mesh from a fabric store--Sunbrella is the brand and "pvc mesh" is the lingo for the general type of fabric. It's a great choice usage-wise, my only regret is that the pattern I chose does not have a perpendicular weave so cutting it out myself was tricky in terms of keeping the lines straight. I adhered it to the shelves using a 3M product called "blue stick" (or something like that) which I got at Home Depot--it's a putty type adherent material that can be reused and does not leave residue. If you choose this route, I would try to get a perpendicular weave to make the cutting easier, also make sure you purchase something that does not fringe--i.e., use the term "pvc mesh" when talking with the salesperson and make clear what you are going to use it for.

I like my fruit refrigerated except for bananas which I keep in a bag in a cupboard. I do have a 3 tiered stand that I use for tomatoes, garlic and my car keys but the island has a large wooden bowl that is mostly decorative. I usually remove it when I start to seriously cook. Not sure of the islands dimensions but 40" x 60" seems about right.

Oops! Just realized this probably belongs over on the Home Decorating forum. Thanks!