Sustainable living is so much more than eating healthy green, recycling, and turning off electrical gadgets when you’re not using them. Eco-friendly living begins by transforming the big things in the house and trying to lead a healthier and more straightforward lifestyle.
The kitchen is the place where you can start with your “green” transformation by incorporating simple but effective things that will maximally alter your way of living. From preparing earth-friendly meals to using sustainable materials and dodging toxic utilities, here are some of the most practical things you can adopt to make your kitchen more sustainable.
1. Opt for an energy-efficient stove
There’s no kitchen without a quality stove, and no cooking can be done without one. Hence, if you aim to lead a healthier lifestyle, you can start by ditching your old gas stove. The stove you end up choosing should be electric as it’s currently the most eco-friendly option.
There are numerous options for electric stoves, for instance, there are those with ceramic-glass cooktops, and traditional ones that use electric spiral tires. Nevertheless, avoid using the natural gas stove as it runs on a fossil fuel that is harmful to the globe. Your choice will also depend on price and habits, but luckily nowadays you can pick an option that suits your pocket and help you have a more sustainable kitchen.
One option for a more sustainable stove is BioLite stoves, which consume 50% less biomass and minimize smoke to eliminate the black carbon in the process of generating electricity. For more about this, read this Solo Stove vs Biolite article.
2. Go for stainless steel tools
One of the easiest and most lucrative ways you can alter your kitchen and make it more sustainable is to use more eco-friendly materials. Make great changes by investing in stainless steel tools that will both give off a modern vibe in the entire kitchen and help you reduce your carbon footprint to the max.
Start by getting quality stainless steel straws that are durable and easy-to-clean, because this is one of the simplest ways to ditch harmful plastic and look after Mother Nature. Investing in having a majority of stainless steel tools is utterly profitable in the long run as most of them are recyclable and would assist in minimizing your carbon footprint.
3. Use biodegradable items
Very often we neglect the fact that things like kitchen sponges are very harmful both to our skin and the planet. If you strive to give your contribution to the planet, you can switch to using biodegradable items in the kitchen.
For instance, instead of using synthetic fibers such as cloths, scourers, plastic utensils, and similar, swap them with eco-alternatives that are easily degradable. The key is to have kitchen tools and utensils that last long.
4. Create a compost bin
Generating too much waste is not recommendable for any household, not to mention how costly and wasteful it is to get rid of leftovers in an inappropriate manner. Starting your own kitchen (that is garden) compost is a fantastic way to cut down on the amount of food waste that ends up who-knows-where.
Besides, you would keep garden soil nurtured and enriched as well. Composting is a great and easy way to reduce the negative impact on the environment.
5. Try green cleaning products
Cleaning the kitchen with abrasive and harmful cleaning products won’t get the job done, but on the contrary, harm both your hands and the planet more than you can think. Most cleaning products contain a plethora of chemicals, so you had better replace them with an inexpensive DIY cleaning solution.
With simple, natural cleaning products you can solve a lot of nasty kitchen issues with ease. A mix of vinegar, salt, lemon, and baking soda can do magic in the kitchen. If that doesn’t work, you can always get non-toxic, biodegradable, plant-based detergent and cleaning products.
6. Shop locally
The food you bring into your kitchen says a lot about your sustainable habits. No matter what type of kitchen appliances and utensils you use, if you keep buying faulty food, you will never truly adapt your kitchen to an eco-friendly manner.
Many products contain biocides, preservatives, and other nasty things that are not very harmful. Plus, if you buy organic grapes in winter, just consider the air and water pollution caused by flying them to your city.
Hence, start buying local ingredients, visit street markets more often than supermarket chains, purchase local produce directly from farmers and contribute effectively to staying green and healthy.
7. Switch to green kitchen solutions
In the end, having an eco-friendly kitchen comes down to your preferences and daily routines. Unless you change your daily activities by implementing a few daily sustainable choices it would be utterly hard to live a greener life.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go off-grid and lead a pilgrim’s life, but incorporating a few sustainable alternatives can make a huge difference, both in your life and in your kitchen.
Try storing food in recyclable cloth containers rather than in plastic, use reusable shopping bags, choose products made of renewable material, and maybe start using energy-efficient light bulbs in your kitchen. These seemingly unimportant items are rather significant things you can easily do to transform your kitchen into a healthier and more sustainable room.
These easy ways should only serve as a starting point in your green transformation. Improve your way of living by staying more mindful of the place you live in.
