Greening Things Up In Your Kitchen

People are becoming more ecologically concerned every day. In 2016 everything seemed to be green. There’s a lot of talk about preventing pollution, recycling, organic food, saving water, and other resources. It’s hard to stay immune to this green plague, and the good news is you shouldn’t. Another good news is that you don’t need to change the world; you can start with your home. More precisely, your kitchen.

Food

The first step towards the eco-friendly kitchen is eating green. It starts with shopping, so make sure you buy locally grown fruits and vegetables. They will taste better because they’ve been recently harvested. This kind of food is eco-friendly because it didn’t have to travel across the world to be on your table, meaning there’s no greenhouse gas pollution.

Eating green also means cooking more. Take outs to endorse the production of disposable plastic dishes and utensils, not to mention the economic and health advantages of home-cooked meals. Disposing of leftovers is the last step in this process. You can install a recycle bin in your kitchen or get a composter. It’s a trash bin for food leftovers designed to turn them into compost. That leads us to the bonus link in the chain: growing your food. Nothing says green more than tending your garden or indoor edible plants.

Water

Freshwater is a renewable resource, but the world’s supply of groundwater is steadily decreasing. Water pollution is a big issue, so it’s a no-brainer to use different water-saving practices rationally. Dishwashers are generally more cost-effective than hand washing. Besides energy, it saves water, more than 5000 gallons a year, according to some studies. To make the best out of your dishwasher, turn it on only when it’s fully loaded.

Bottled water is another thing you should avoid. Plastic beverage bottles take 450 years to decompose. Besides, did you know that less than 10 percent of bottled water cost is used to pay for the water itself? The rest of the money goes on the packaging, transport, and marketing. In the long run, a better option would be to invest in quality water filtration systems. That way, you can always drink bacteriologically safe water and use something you already pay for – tap water.

Appliances

The kitchen accounts for between 20 and 40 percent of total household energy usage. Also, cooking more means spending more money on electricity bills. To prevent this, consider investing in energy-efficient appliances. Check for the Energy Star sticker when buying white goods and choose a high-energy efficiency rated refrigerator or stove.

There are few tricks for using your oven rationally, too. With today’s technology, preheating is not needed because ovens reach the set temperature in no time. Most stove ovens have room for more than one pot, so make sure you kill two (or more) birds with one stone. When using a stove, match the sizes of a pan and a stove burner – it saves up to 40 percent of energy. In the end, you can always switch to raw food – it’s a big hit lately and a huge energy saver.

Going green is not a matter of fashion. It’s not even about playing superheroes trying to save the planet. It’s actually about being responsible and conscious of our role in this world. Remember, baby steps lead to actual change. So be the change you want to see in the world.