How to make your kitchen green

You might have seen that oft-repeated episode of Absolutely Fabulous when the character of Edina Monsoon (who works in PR, but kind of diverges into other roles as the storyline requires) is assisting a friend in redesigning her London flat. The friend has asked for “third world chic” and Edina reminds her dim-witted assistant Bubble (who would actually call their child Bubble?) that when the wood arrives for the kitchen, she has to stamp it with the words, “Greenpeace approved.” Certainly, having a green kitchen and even a green house is seen as trendy, both now, and back in 1992 when that episode was first broadcast. Of course we can go the whole hog and have a totally green house, but for those of us on a budget, we need to perhaps take smaller steps and green each part of the house, one room at a time- and naturally, there’s no better place to start than the heart of a home… in the kitchen.

Renewability

Make sure that your builder has obtained materials from a renewable source. A reputable builder should know where their materials come from, and indeed some of them might even advertise the use of renewable wood as a selling point.

Energy Efficiency

New appliances now come with an energy rating, allowing you to see which of them are the best for Mother Nature, as well as your wallet. While forking out for an energy efficient fridge can seem like a huge investment, it will actually save you money over time.

Now You’re Cooking with Gas! (But Should You?)

Gas or electricity? This is kind of a difficult one, and can be a major expense to change from one supply to another. Gas is cleaner, but at the same time, it’s a non-renewable form of energy. When making the decision, perhaps you can speak with your power supplier to see how much of their electricity comes from burning fossil fuels and how much comes from green sources.

Food Miles

The concept of food miles relates to how far the food has travelled from farmers field to supermarket shelf, with an emphasis on food that has created less of a carbon footprint in making its way to you. If you want a green kitchen, you need to consider whether the food you prepare in it is equally green!

Keeping It Clean

If you want a green kitchen, then you also need to green clean, and replace harsh chemical solvents with more environmentally friendly cleaning products. This is great for the earth, and can also be great for your fancy new kitchen renovations, since you’re less likely to accidentally remove the finish on your kitchen counter if you’re not using abrasive chemicals.

And Finally…

Having a literally green kitchen can also help to make the room cleaner and greener (in the figurative sense). The air in the kitchen can be amongst the dirtiest in the house, and so a few leafy green plants in the room can help to purify the air, and keep the room looking nice too. You could also try to kill two birds with one stone and grow some fresh herbs.