Whilst eating plenty of fruit and vegetables are a great start to living a healthier, greener lifestyle, there are still lots of different changes you can make to your kitchen to make it a greener, energy-efficient space. With so many toxic chemicals included in many products designed solely for the kitchen, along with the excess usage of gas and electrics, the kitchen can end up being a very harmful place for the environment. Luckily, living a greener lifestyle is becoming much more of a popular lifestyle choice, so here are some useful tips on going green in your kitchen!
Don’t Waste Energy
It might sound like something many people would avoid doing, but the kitchen is one of the main rooms in the home where energy is wasted. One of the most common problems is the fridge. The fridge is constantly working to keep the contents cool and fresh, which is completely interrupted the moment you open the fridge door. The main issue is when people stand with the door wide open, deciding what they want to eat. This causes all of the fresh, cold air to filter out of the fridge, making it work twice as hard to keep the contents cool. Similarly, not making sure to close your fridge door can be an issue. It’s important to make sure you close your fridge door properly; otherwise, you’ll be wasting heaps of energy without even knowing!
Embrace the ‘Bag for Life’
Over the last few years, supermarkets have made a conscious effort to cut down on the number of plastic bags used, by providing you with a ‘Bag for Life’. A bag for life is a reliable, durable bag that we can use over and over again for our shopping. You can also find some useful and often stylish canvas bags, which are ideal for storing in your handbag or pocket until you need them. Try to make an area in the cupboard, dedicated to your reusable bags. This will encourage you and your family to use these instead of having to use the cheap, plastic ones that are never strong enough to hold much at all!
Keep the Doors Closed
Heating the house can take hours, especially if you have a large house with wooden flooring. There’s nothing more frustrating than walking into a room that should be warm and cozy, but it being cold due to the door being left open. When it comes to the kitchen, you have many contributing factors to help keep the room warm, such as the oven. By keeping your kitchen door shut, you can keep this additional heat in and save money and energy when it comes to heating the house.
Learn to Recycle
There are so many recycling options throughout the country, with various different collection dates and drop off points. Start by making sure you know exactly what you can recycle, from the plastic bottles, tins, cardboard and paper that you accumulate over the week in your kitchen. Separate them into different piles or bins, as this will make it much easier for you when it comes to collect them. Introducing recycling bins to your kitchen will be a very positive, green step to take, giving you the opportunity to help the planet without having to do much at all. If you’re unsure of how to sort out your recycling, most products now have information on the labels and for those that don’t; you can find all the information online!
Washing Up Efficiently
If you don’t own a dishwasher, washing your dishes doesn’t have to be a problem. Many people wash their dishes with the tap running, emptying the bowl a couple of times before they finish. This is a problem, as this isn’t an efficient way of using the water in your kitchen. Keep your faucet turned off throughout the washing and one section of your sink for soapy water, with the other for rinsing off the items. This will instantly help you save a huge amount of water and keep the process a little greener.
Article Submitted by Community Writer.