Photo by Naomi Hébert on Unsplash
Approximately, a whopping 50 percent of produce in the US is thrown away which equates to some 60 million tons, or $160 billion of annual produce and is the single biggest occupant in American landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. We all want to make an effort to have a greener approach in our home and lives, from choosing eco-friendly lighting for our gardens to buying appliances that are energy efficient, and where better to start making these changes than in our kitchens? Adapting our habits should mean more than just eating healthily or turning our backs on chemical cleaners, there’s so much more we can do to achieve a truly eco-friendly kitchen.
Dispose of waste responsibly
All homes should have a solution to dispose of food responsibly and there are several options to this depending on what works best for you. The most obvious and greenest way is to compost your collected food waste which not only rids unused waste but can also recycle it for the garden. Alternatively, your local area may offer to come and collect it in specially designed bins that you can leave out. Although it is sometimes necessary, using a trash bin or a waste disposal unit can have negative impacts on the environment, both of which have their issues if not used correctly. Whichever method you use, ensure you know exactly what type of waste to throw out to limit these problems.
Choose equipment wisely
While we might not all be able to afford to have environmentally friendly work surfaces and cupboards, we can start to buy equipment from sustainable materials, use energy efficient food appliances and environmentally-friendly cleaning tools. Invest your money into sturdy utensils rather than the cheaper alternatives, choose stainless steel or cast iron as opposed to Teflon brands and research wisely before throwing your cash on gadgets that you might only use once. Similarly, when considering larger appliances, look out for the Energy Star rating to ensure you’re choosing a model that will last and be kind to the environment through it having a good design.
Create an eco- friendly kitchen
Kitchens are places where we spend time with our friends and family, where we like to catch up over a meal or a gathering and nothing feels more like home as a kitchen does. It’s also a place of waste: washing food and dishes means water down the drain; making coffee, toast and microwaving food equates to kilowatts of energy being zapped away; and all the packaging and rubbish that goes into our trash cans eventually ends up in the landfill. To combat this waste, start to find ways of reusing everyday waste, cooking in bulk and going plastic-free.
Small changes in the way you run your kitchen can make a big difference to the planet so if you’re looking for ways to make your life a little more greener, what better place to start making these steps than in the kitchen?