Kitchen green-over: Seven easy steps to an eco-friendly kitchen

According to a World Health Organization Report, the global temperature has gotten warmer at about 1 degree Celsius over the 20th century. Although the impact of global warming and climate change is irreversible, further damage can still be prevented.

It’s a good thing that more and more people these days are up to the challenge of going sustainable. This ranges from simple activities like choosing environmentally friendly items from the grocery store, to constructing green buildings and homes, and to completely making a lifestyle change.

Of course, the best way to get involved is to start at home. Making little environmentally sound changes in the household is a great way to really cultivate a green mindset. In fact, even the place where you would only cook and prepare food can be transformed into an eco-friendly space! Here’s how:

1. Use eco-friendly cleaners and detergents

Divert to phosphate-free dishwashing detergents or use household items such as lemon juice and baking soda for cleaning the sink and other parts of the kitchen. You can put it in a spray bottle filled with water.

You can also use homemade cleaning alternatives that are cheaper and accessible. You can use this recipe from diynatural.com for homemade dishwashing cleaner and rinse agent.

Ingredients: • 1 cup borax • 1 cup washing soda • ½ cup citric acid • ½ cup kosher salt (for scrubbing action)

Use 1 Tbsp. per load.

Each batch yields 24 ounces of detergent. You can put it in a used container. For the rinse agent, just fill the compartment with white vinegar.

2. Evaluate your units and equipment.

Evaluating your units and appliances will not only help you save energy and money - it can also help you get rid of appliances and gadgets that you no longer need.

When replacing kitchen equipment, patronize products that are made of eco-friendly materials. Support companies that produce kitchenware and products such as cutting boards and food storage containers that are made from 100 percent recycled materials. Cabinets and other kitchen units can also be replaced with more durable ones so they can last longer.

Go for high energy rating appliances.

When purchasing heavy-duty appliances such as refrigerators, it is always better to consider the A++-G European Energy Label rating system. Other low energy efficiency rated white goods may be cheaper, but they consume large amounts of electricity. This means that although you save money by purchasing cheap white goods, you’ll end up spending a relatively higher amount in the long run because of high electric consumption.

Aside from energy-efficient refrigerators, another option can be refrigerators that use hydrocarbons (such as R600a) as a refrigerant. Also, look for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free refrigerators that use recycled materials.

If you don’t want to buy new one, you can either insulate it on the sides or regularly clean the coils at the back so you can keep your refrigerator’s energy consumption to the least amount.

You can also explore other low-energy units such as eco kettles, which boil only the water you need and keep the rest in a tank so it can be used later. It also has the ability to heat water in three different temperatures. So if you need warm water for your herbal tea, you don’t need to waste energy by heating the water to 100°C.

Recondition your oven

Experts suggest the use of convection ovens over conventional ovens. It is due to their ability to circulate the heated air around the food being cooked which takes shorter time and reducing required temperature which tantamount to low energy consumption. On the average, you’ll drop your energy use by about 20%.

3. Recycle leftovers

Another great way to achieve a green kitchen is to make use of a recycling bin. Kitchens can be designed or redesigned in a way that gives it access to a garden compost bin. This way, leftover food can be re-used as fertilizer.

Planning your meals can also help in reducing waste by keeping you from buying food you won’t eat. You can also plan to use leftovers in cooking different food recipes.

4. Reduce plastic and unnecessary packaging use

Instead of using plastic cling wrap and re-sealable bags to store and cover food, you can use lidded containers. You can also try using reusable plastic containers as long as they are not made of harmful chemicals. In this case, refrain from using plastics labeled with recycling codes 3 – 7. However, to ensure maximum safety for your family, consider the use of glass jars instead of plastic containers. Gallon-size jars are also great for storing bulk items. Aside from its reusability, it also won’t allow chemicals to leach into your food.

There are also aluminum foils that are made of 100% recyclable materials. You should also stop buying bottled water but use pitchers instead. Pack your lunch with no disposable packaging through a lunchbox that has different compartments.

5. Use dishtowels instead of paper towels

Do not make it a habit to use paper towels; instead, use dish towels, as they are inexpensive, washable, and has less carbon footprint.

6. Eat more vegetables

Another easy way to make a kitchen more eco-friendly is to try vegetarian food a little more often. Raising livestock has more destructive impact on the environment than putting up a garden with plants and grains. Besides, all the leftover food can be buried in the compost pit you can use for your garden.

7. Put some plants inside your kitchen

Plants make homes more cozy and inviting. Not only do plants beautify your kitchen, plants also help regulate carbon emissions from your cooking stove. You can also plant culinary herbs in the windowsill!

In the end, what’s more fulfilling than staying in a clean and environmental-friendly space? Achieving this is no longer impossible as you can explore several options to go green. Greening-over your kitchen takes time and effort but it is definitely worth it.