Whether you consider it or not, our environment is important and affects us all directly. The environment is depleting with each passing day and it is our responsibility to prevent it from getting deteriorated. One may pose the question of how the effort of one person may contribute to the cause, but the answer to this is that when each individual makes a small contribution, then the effort becomes one major initiative and shows results. One place you can start from is your kitchen. There are many ways in which you can make your kitchen greener and the following are some of the best ones:
Choose items that last
The first step that you can take is to buy those equipment and products which last and do not need to be thrown off easily and fast every now and then. It is best to go for utensils made of stainless steel or cast iron rather than Teflon. Similarly choose strong and sturdy utensils rather than the low quality ones since disposing items out quickly leads to accumulation in the environment which results in pollution.
Go for energy efficient equipment
Another great way to make your kitchen greener is to opt for energy efficient appliances and equipment. For example, if you choose an energy efficient dishwasher, it will use less energy as well as less water than washing dishes by hand in the sink. Similarly, every appliance that is more efficient will save a lot of your things and cause less harm to the environment. Don’t forget to earn savings as well with your shopping by finding discount codes before you make any decision. Try to maintain your water quality in the kitchen too as it helps in maintaining a healthy home.
Buy local
Another fabulous way to go green in the kitchen is to buy items that are produced locally. Not only does the local produce taste better but the fuel consumed to transport them is also less. Moreover, the pollution caused due to fumes of vehicles to transport produce will also be less and hence the environment will be harmed far lesser.
Buy and cook in bulk
Make it a point to buy and cook in bulk quantities whenever possible. Purchasing in bulk not only means less packaging but also financial savings. Bulk cooking too on the other hand too saves more energy and also time.
Produce lesser waste
It is a brilliant idea to produce as little waste as possible. Kitchen is that one part of the house which produces the maximum amount of waste on an average. Hence you may think that limiting waste from the kitchen might be tough but it isn’t really so. One of the ways is to take your own bags rather than accepting bags from the grocery and other stores. Also, avoid over sized portions since it can lead to more waste. Make sure you reuse whatever you can rather than disposing it off. Some things you can reuse are grocery bags, glass bottles or jars etc. You can easily fold grocery bags neatly and store properly in order to use later. You can also compost uncooked organic waste.
Do it yourself
Another green tip for your kitchen is to avoid frozen and pre packaged foods and make them at home yourself. Not only does this save you money but also wastage due to packaging, cuts down on pollution due to transportation etc. You can take it a step further and also grow your own fruits and vegetables at home. For this make sure that you use composted kitchen waste as fertilizer. You can also make cleaning solutions at home rather than purchasing them from the market.
Choose green countertops
When designing or modelling the kitchen, make it a point to opt for green countertops. They are not only recyclable but also sustainable. Green countertops are made by following eco friendly manufacturing practices which pose minimum harm to the environment. One example is squak mountain stone which is made from recycled paper and other materials like recycled glass, cement and reclaimed fly ash etc.
Similarly, there are many more tips and ideas that can help you achieve a green kitchen. Everyday practices as well as thoughtful planning during designing can both contribute towards this cause and hence enable you to do your bit for the environment. Working towards this initiative should start today and from this moment. So go ahead and gift the nature a small effort from your side so that generations ahead can too reap nature’s benefits like we do today.
