Eco-friendly kitchens start with five simple changes

With Earth Day approaching, eco-friendly changes don’t have to be dramatic to make a difference. Eco-friendly kitchens start with simple changes.

For many people, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Eco-friendly kitchens don’t have to entail a huge, costly renovation plan. While those huge renovations can produce huge results, small, daily changes can have a significant impact too. These five simple changes can make any kitchen more eco-friendly.

Eco-friendly kitchens start with five simple changes, photo by Cristine Struble

Every year around Earth Day, the idea of reduce, reuse and recycle is the mantra of the moment. While these broad proclamations are beneficial, people can benefit from tangible, real applications. The changes don’t have been over dramatic. Sure, a tankless water heater is a wonderful eco-friendly change, but that change can be difficult for the average consumer.

Here are FoodSided’s easy ways to make some eco-friendly changes to your kitchen.

Water bottles

Everyone knows that drinking plenty of water is important to feeling good. Unfortunately, disposable water bottles aren’t good for the planet. While sometimes a disposable bottle might be convenient, convenience isn’t always the best choice. With so many brands, styles and types, at least one water bottle can work in your lifestyle.

From travel water bottles to personalized ones, the choices can be overwhelming. Personally, I have all types of water bottles. Whether it is my running water bottle or my travel water bottle, there is always one that gets the job done.

Are you ready to make the eco-friendly switch?

Stashers

How many disposable plastic bags do you use in a week? From school lunches to leftovers to even cooking, think of just how many disposable bags are used. Why not skip the disposable for a reusable option?

Stashers are self-sealing, reusable silicone bags. These bags can be used for cooking, storage and more.

Our family has several of these products in various sizes. From cooking sous vide to storing leftovers, we use these bags for everything. Plus, the bags can be thrown in the dishwasher for cleaning. It is a simple solution for a huge disposable bag problem.

No more straws

Did you know that plastic straws are very dangerous to wildlife? The oceans are littered with plastic straws. The wildlife is harmed by that trash. It’s time to ditch the plastic straw.

Restaurants, theme parks and other organizations are committed to ditching the plastic straw. In some cases, locations have turned to paper straw options. Some places have ditched the straw completely.
At home, ditching the straw is easy. Reusable straws are everywhere. From plastic to metal, there are tons of options. Even Dawn has created a special cleaning device to washing straws even easier.

Are you ready to ditch the straw?

Efficient cookware

Everyone wants a way to decrease cooking time and get dinner on the table quickly. While leaving food to cook all day long, it might not be the most energy efficient. Using the right cookware can be both good for the environment and convenient for the home cook.

For example, Turbo Pot has created a special line of cookware that cooks food more efficiently. By using a built in heat diffuser, cooking time is more efficient. Not only does the food taste better, but it is good for the environment.

Grow at home

The idea of knowing your farmer is a popular concept. In today’s world of food recalls, knowing who and where food was grown and processed is a priority. Why not grow some foods at home.

Before you think that this process is a huge undertaking, a few ideas are relatively easy. Several companies now offer simple grow herbs at home kits. These grow at home kits can fit on a window sill or any place with some natural life.

The idea of fresh, grown at home foods is a tasty one. Often the flavor of fresh, picked at home vegetables have an amazing taste. One bite might have you growing more food at home.

Next: Sip to the planet with Earth Day cocktails

Eco-friendly kitchens begin with simple changes. Start making a difference with five suggestions. What are you waiting for?

Home/Kitchen Essentials