Moving toward a greener life can start in your kitchen. From paper towels to plastic bags and produce, the kitchen is filled with chances to reduce your family's waste and reduce energy consumption. Read on for our top 10 tips to help you create a greener kitchen.
1. Grow Your Own Vegetables, Fruits & Herbs
If you've got space in your backyard or on your deck, it's a great idea to grow your own fruits, veggies and even fresh herbs. It will not only save you money at the grocery store, but it helps to green your outdoor space.
2. Use Reusable Bags For Your Groceries
Ditch the plastic bags and opt for re-usable grocery bags instead. Yes, they cost you a couple of bucks, but the fact that you can use them over and over again, they more than pay for themselves over time. Many large grocery stores are now even offering thermal bags and boxes to help keep your foods cold and fresh, even on the hottest summer days.
3. Swap Out Plastic Baggies
There are so many fun and funky designs now available, so it's time to ditch the plastic baggies and instead opt for re-usable cloth baggies.
4. Fill Your Dishwasher and Use On A Low Temperature Cycle
If you use your dishwasher, use the lowest temperature setting available and do not run a cycle until the dishwasher is absolutely full. This will enable you to cut down the energy used and you will only have to run your dishwasher a handful of times each week.
5. Ditch The Bleach and Harsh Chemicals
Environmentally friendly cleaning products are filling shelves everywhere. So, before you reach for that bottle of Clorox, check out the label and instead reach for something natural and/or organic. Green products are now just as strong and powerful as harsher ones, so that excuse can get chucked out the front door.
6. Pitch The Paper Towel
Instead of using paper towels constantly to dry your hands and dishes, opt to purchase a few good tea towels which you can have handy and wash every few uses. Also, instead of using j-cloths and throw away scrubs, opt to purchase the new line of eco-friendly wash cloths which can be used and re-used over and over again.
7. Avoid Aerosol Oven Cleaners
These cleaners are incredibly harsh for you and the environment. There are companies now, such as Ecover, which offer more environmentally friendly options.
8. Stop Purchasing Water Bottles
Green your kitchen with a faucet filter or pitcher filter, and drink clean pure water without the waste.
9. Use Your Compost
Instead of tossing those apple peels, coffee grounds and egg shells in the garbage, fill your green bin instead. Want to go that extra-mile? Start a compost heap in your backyard.
10. Purchase Grocery Items in Bulk
Buying yogurt? Choose to buy one single (large) container rather than smaller single-serving pots. It will reduce the amount of packaging waste you have.