6 Smart and Easy Tips to Green Up Your Kitchen
By Lana Hawkins
Greening up your kitchen can have a lot of different meanings, but today we’re not going to talk about 50 shades of green in your kitchen, lush vegetation or stuffing your fridge with healthy green veggies. By implementing some green practices in your kitchen, not only can you reduce the negative impact on the environment, but you can actually cut the costs of your utility bills and minimize energy consumption in the household. So, if you need some additional help to get you started, then these 6 tips will surely be of assistance:
Purify Your Water
Depending on the area you live in, it might not be safe to drink tap water. For the exact reason, many people tend to purchase bottled water. While the cost of bottled water isn’t quite high, it’s much more profitable and eco-friendly to simply buy a water purifier. This way you can always have a glass of clean, filtered water without making unnecessary plastic waste.
Cut the Water Use
Did you know that dishwashers are responsible for 1,4% of total daily water use in a typical US household? If that’s not enough, it’s worth mentioning that the daily water use of faucets is 10,9 gallons per capita. This is quite alarming given the fact that these numbers can be significantly lowered by simply installing a few energy efficient features. For instance, instead of letting the water run while you’re doing the dishes or washing food, why not install a foot faucet that’ll allow you to simultaneously do your work and turn the water on and off without using your hands. Installing sensor faucets is another smart solution that can greatly decrease the amount of water used in the kitchen.
Don’t Waste Food
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food gets lost or wasted every year. Fruits, vegetables, and roots are among the most wasted foods. What if there was a way to turn those leftover foods into something more practical? Well, there is and it’s called composting. Making hummus requires only food waste and it can be used as organic matter for your garden. If you don’t have a garden, you’d be surprised to learn just how much people are willing to pay for homemade compost!
Dangers Lurk Everywhere
If you’ve ever watched 24h kitchen, then you’d know that many chefs recommend having that one cast iron skillet that should never be cleaned, in order to preserve all the tastes and condiments in it. What they don’t mention that this is a breeding ground for germs, bacteria and other severe conditions such as cancer. The type of your cookware is also something to think about and it’s best to rely on non-stick pans and pots, where you won’t have to worry about consuming particles of iron.
Smart Storage Solutions
How many of you rely on napkins, aluminum foil, and plastic bags to store your foods and keep the ingredients fresh? In order to reduce the amount of plastic, paper and aluminum waste, perhaps it’s better to opt for some smarter storage solutions like see-through and reusable containers, made from plastic or glass, which can withstand both cold and hot temperatures.
Utilize Your Kitchen Appliances
One of the best ways to make your kitchen eco-friendlier is to make sure that your kitchen appliances are utilized properly. For instance, if you’re looking for a new dishwasher or some quality refrigeration products, then it’s best to look for energy star labeled appliances that use much less energy than traditional ones. How you use the appliances is also important, so make sure not to turn the dishwasher on unless it’s completely full and to set the optimal temperature for your fridge, so it would waste less energy.
Here, the focus should be on eco-friendly practices and implementing innovative ideas into your kitchen area in order to make it greener and more sustainable. There’s a variety of ways to green up your kitchen and the best thing is that most of these ideas are quite affordable and can greatly benefit you in the future.
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Author’s Bio: Lana Hawkins is a student of architecture from Sydney. She writes regularly about home décor and landscaping. Lana finds the most of her inspiration in sustainability and green architecture and design. You can follow her on Facebook.
