All over the world, people are looking for ways to lower their carbon footprint as they’re becoming more aware of global warming and climate change. Of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen has the highest potential for waste.
From the faucet and the dishwasher to any icemakers, it’s where are located the majority of your appliances. It’s where you cook and produce food waste and where you run water almost constantly. Therefore, if you want a greener home, you should start by creating a sustainable kitchen.
How Do You Create a Sustainable Kitchen?
Most people think going green requires a massive swap (like ditching electricity or your gasoline-powered car for an electric one). But if you aren’t feeling that ambitious, you don’t have to make a drastic change. Instead, it’s a quick and painless procedure! All you need to do is implement minor adjustments to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Paying close attention to how you select, prepare, cook, and store your food and beverages is one way to make a difference. Having eco-friendly cooking gadgets and appliances can you help use less water and electricity, which will save you money in the long run.
Top Eco-Friendly Kitchen Products
Some of the best green cooking items include reusable water bottles and bags for food storage, non-plastic (glass or silicone) containers for storing food and LED lighting. When choosing cooking gadgets for your kitchen, the principle: “reduce, reuse, recycle” should guide your goal to reduce waste. Eliminating single-use items in favour of products you can use multiple times is a good starting point.
Best Non-plastic Food Storage Containers
Do you know what’s not environmentally friendly? Plastic. Considering all of the headlines in the media and online about how plastic is endangering wildlife and polluting the environment, I’m sure you already knew that.
With that said, replacing all the plastic in your home with more environmentally friendly alternatives would be a significant step toward making your kitchen (and home) more eco-friendly.
Glass Food Containers
Switch to glass food storage containers if you’re looking for an environmentally friendly way to keep leftovers! Glass containers aren’t porous, unlike plastic ones, meaning they’re cleaner and less likely to retain food odours and germs. Long-term durability tests show that glass containers outlast plastic ones.
Glass Jars
Since you can keep everything from pantry items to leftovers in these storage containers, glass jars are a traditional kitchen essential. You can keep your jams, sauces, and dressings in mason jars.
Glass Spice Jars
Mini glass jars are a great way to keep your favourite spices organised while keeping them flavorful and fresh. They’ll help you keep your spices simple to find. Look for metal lids that will help keep your herbs dry and airtight.
Produce Bags
Another excellent way to reduce your use of plastic in the kitchen is to purchase reusable produce bags. Look for materials that’ll keep your vegetable crisp in the refrigerator, like 100% organic and environmentally friendly cotton.
Contrary to plastic bags, which can cause vegetables to rot quickly, you can simply soak the bag in water, wring it out until it is barely damp, and then place your fruits and vegetables inside. The humid environment will allow them to breathe better and have a longer shelf life.
Reusable Silicone Bags
When you can carry your snacks in one of these chic food silicone bags, why use box after box of single-use plastic baggies? Don’t be concerned about the work involved in cleaning them, as they’re safe for dishwashers.
Best Alternatives to Plastic Wrap
Wrapping food in plastic wrap is one of the most common ways to store food. It’s easy and it keeps food fresh. But it’s not very sustainable because it’s not biodegradable and it creates a lot of waste.
Beeswax Wraps
Using beeswax wraps in the kitchen is an exceptional alternative to single-use cling wrap. You can wrap them directly around food items or use them to cover pans and dishes. You can buy already-made wraps or DIY them with a beeswax wrap kit.
The best thing about making your own beeswax wraps is that you can choose whatever pattern you like to create a customised design! You can reduce your plastic impact on the planet by using only four ingredients and a couple of minutes on a weekday night.
Cleaning your beeswax wraps is also easy-peasy; it’s best to use cold water and a mild detergent, preferably natural. Hot water will melt off the wax, while harsh detergents will remove most of the product you’ve purposefully added to create your wraps.
Vegan Reusable Wax Food Wraps
You might be looking for a product that doesn’t contain beeswax if you’re vegan or primarily plant-based. You can use wraps made with candelilla and non-GMO soy wax rather than beeswax to save the bees and the planet. They look and perform similarly to those made of beeswax, which makes them a suitable alternative.
Best Alternative to Plastic Straws
Reusable Bamboo Straws
More than 500 million plastic straws are used every day in the US only. You can help reduce plastic waste accumulating in landfills and clogging our oceans by doing a simple swap. Using a reusable bamboo straw instead of a plastic one, you can enjoy your favourite beverage in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
Reusable Stainless Steel Straws
Sip sustainably by replacing plastic straws with reusable stainless steel drinking straws that are great for both kids and adults. Crafted from food-grade sustainable stainless steel, they add a fun and stylish touch to any drink. These non-toxic and free of harmful chemicals found in plastic straws are dishwasher safe.
