How To Make Your Kitchen a “Greener” Place

by Melody Thacker, in How To (No Comments)

If you’re looking to live more mindful about the environment and improve your green credentials, there’s no better place to start than your kitchen. The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the family home. With a steady flow of traffic and array of materials being used, it’s important to make it a more eco-friendly room the whole family will enjoy.

Here’s How To Make Your Kitchen Greener

Compost your food waste.

A mind-blowing amount of food waste is hauled to the landfill each year. Although the food itself is biodegradable when it’s mixed in with other materials in the landfill it doesn’t degrade in the way it would when it’s composted. This is an easy way to start making your kitchen area a little greener. Set a large bowl or small compost container at the end of the kitchen counter and ask for food scraps to be placed inside. You can then compost this waste in your garden compost container. If you can’t have your own compost bin check to see if there are green waste options in your community. Another option is to have a worm farm, the little wigglers will take care of your food scraps and turn it into beautiful fertilizer. It’s an excellent science experiment for your kids too.

Use earth-friendly, green cleaners.

You’ll find many natural cleaning solutions right in your cupboards. Use vinegar and baking soda for most of your daily needs. Natural soap mixed with a little water can be used to clean just about anything, from countertops to floors. If you choose to buy your cleaning products instead, opt for eco-friendly cleaners which won’t harm the environment.

Reuse and Recycle.

Reuse glass and plastic food containers, they make great storage containers or the fridge, freezer, and pantry and they’re free. Choose reusable cloth over paper or other single-use materials. Instead of napkins or paper towels use cloth napkins and kitchen cloths for wiping up messes. Use reusable cloth shopping bags for your groceries. Avoid paper plates and plastic disposables. Pack lunches in reusable containers instead of plastic bags.

Set up a recycling system in your kitchen or utility room and get the whole family to pitch in. You can even make a game of reducing the amount of waste that’s hauled to the landfill. For example, if you only end up with one bag of garbage for the week then you can reward your family to a fun outing. By setting goals of how much you’d like to reduce your waste, you’ll be more likely to recycle.

Use natural materials.

Think about using natural materials wherever possible. If you’re remodeling your kitchen opt for wood units made from sustainable sources. You can choose eco-friendly counter tops in the form of wood, tiles, stone, concrete, recycled glass, stainless steel etc. Use similar eco-friendly options for flooring.

You can also use natural materials for your storage and cooking needs. Opt for wood chopping boards and glass containers to store your food in. Stainless steel is also a fantastic eco-friendly option which looks very nice too and has hygienic properties – perfect for kitchen use.

Use less energy.

Invest in energy efficient appliances where possible. These not only have a lesser impact on the environment but also save you money in the long run. Think about your appliances, for example, refrigerators with built-in ice dispensers use more energy than the standard type. Using an electric pressure cooker rather than your oven is a great way to save energy. It uses less energy to cook the same meal and it won’t heat up your house. Consider the size of your family too. Do you really need that huge refrigerator or stove? Or do you like it more for its cosmetic appeal?

Being green or eco-friendly does mean compromising in some instances but you can see this as a positive thing rather than a negative. An unintended positive is that it can save us money, and that’s a good thing! The more we can all do to help the environment, the better and there’s no better time to start like the present. And no better place to start in than your own kitchen.