MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (WCAX) – What began as a project to keep microfiber out of our waterways has become a multi-faceted mission.
Last week, we told you about the Cora Ball, which sucks up microfiber contamination from washing machine effluent. But, the company’s approach to saving the ocean doesn’t stop in the laundry room.
“We have always been looking for opportunities to help people reduce the amount of plastic that we all interact with,” says Rachael Miller. She’s a champion for water health, founder of the Cora Ball, a National Geographic explorer and started a nonprofit for clean oceans. Amid all the accolades, she also created the Cora Board.
“Plastic cutting boards contribute an incredible amount of microplastic to our food in a very direct way,” says Miller.
She first became concerned with microplastic pollution after reading a science magazine that outlined the issue back in 2013. At first, it was more of a concern about critters and keeping the water clean. But now, she says it’s bigger than that.
“[A] paper came out that showed the presence of microplastic in the gut causes an imbalance in the gut microbiome,” says Miller. ”That’s what inspired us to really take action.”
Now, Miller is putting a common household item under the microscope — quite literally.
“We’ve been investigating plastic cutting boards with a microscope and it’s disgusting,” Miller explains. Not only do bits of food get caught in the grooves, but each knife slice is an opportunity to ingest microplastics.
“There are correlations between the presence of microplastics in the human body and blood in our brains, in our guts, in our reproductive system, that does have the ability to cause harm,” she says.
So, she looked to wood for the solution.
”We live in Vermont, we have got some of the most beautiful hardwoods there are,” she says.
Maple Landmark in Middlebury handles production for the Cora Board. The single slab of wood is made without glues, resins, waxes or oils. They’re simply made of Vermont maple, sourced from trees that were already dead. Despite a total lack of additives, Miller says maintenance is easy.
“I just wash mine right away with soap and water and lean it up vertically to dry,” she says. “It still looks great.”
Miller notes you can’t put these in the dishwasher. But, the naturally anti-microbial boards are worth the hand wash. A regular board will cost you about $36, with the premium version sitting at $45. While they may discolor from foods with lots of pigment, a light sand with a fine-grit paper should remove any blemishes.
While she loves the ocean and will continue the fight to keep it clean, Miller is now slicing into a different issue with these beautiful boards.
“What began as a quest to protect Lake Champlain and the ocean I love so much is now bigger than that,” says Miller. “It is now about protecting people.”