Making environmentally conscious decisions is what we need to do to save our planet. Each green step taken by us will positively impact the planet’s health, and creating a green kitchen is one such step that many homeowners are now taking.
A green or ecofriendly kitchen is built using sustainable materials, has energy-efficient appliances, and is free from toxicity. It is good for the planet and your health. But you should not stop there; you must adopt sustainable kitchen practices to sustain your green efforts. Here we have listed some sustainable kitchen practices that you must adopt in your green kitchen.
Sustainable kitchen practices for a green kitchen:
Reduce food miles and buy local produce:
One simple, sustainable step that you may start with is buying locally-produced food for your kitchen. You may not have given much thought to this concept before, but now you should. When you source ingredients, fruits, and vegetables that need to travel a long way to reach the supermarket near you, it harms the environment. You must be aware of food miles and their impact on the environment. If food items are traveling long distances, they are likely to have higher food miles and are responsible for increasing carbon dioxide emissions. It is needless to point out that you must opt for food that has fewer food miles or is locally grown. When you buy local produce, you make a sustainable choice, reduce food miles, and also support the local economy. Local produce is also fresh, making it a healthier choice for your sustainable kitchen.
Switch to green kitchen cleaners:
A sustainable, environmentally friendly kitchen is free from toxic substances such as Formaldehyde, VOC. While planning a green kitchen, you are opting for cabinet finishes and paints that are free from these toxic substances. Similarly, in your kitchen, you must be cautious of the cleaning supplies that you are buying. Are they free from toxic chemicals? The dishwashing liquid, the floor cleaner, and other cleaning supplies you purchase contain toxic substances that are bad for the environment and your health.
Switch to eco-friendly cleaning products that are safe and sustainable. However, do research to find brands that provide non-toxic natural cleaning products. To make an informed decision it is critical to learn about the harmful and safe substances.
Opt for biodegradable items in the kitchen:
A lot of waste gets generated in the kitchen. As you start running a kitchen, you purchase and repurchase kitchen supplies. The old supplies get thrown away, and they end up in landfills. However, you must know that certain products do not decompose and can harm the environment. You can make a difference by switching to biodegradable items in your ecofriendly kitchen. Do research and learn about the biodegradable kitchen items available on the market. These items will decompose and will not pollute the environment. The biodegradable kitchen bags are a sensible choice for your kitchen. While buying kitchen towels, you should select cloth towels that can be cleaned and reused for years.
Start composting!
In everyday meal preparation, a lot of food scraps get produced. Instead of throwing away food scraps such as vegetable peels, fruit peels, cereals, and leftover slices of bread, compost them at home. Home composting is not a new concept, but it is gaining traction now. It is a positive step that you must take, but you should learn about the items that can get composted and items that should never get composted.
To be precise, any animal waste like meat, fish, dairy products, oil-based products, or oil should not get composted. Vegetables, fruits, peels, rice, and cereals, can be composted. Get a composting bin for your environmentally friendly kitchen and learn about composting methods to get started. You can use this compost in your garden. Do some research to learn more about composting and right composting methods.
You must save natural resources:
Energy efficiency is at the heart of a ecofriendly kitchen design. In the kitchen, you should get energy-efficient equipment that uses less energy and natural resources. Investing in energy-efficient dishwashers, refrigerators, faucets, and lighting fixtures can make a big difference. You will save money and natural resource. For cooking you may opt for induction cooktops as they are a more energy-efficient choice.
We discussed a few sustainable kitchen practices that you should adopt in your green kitchen. Learn about sustainability and sustainable practices so that you can incorporate in your kitchen and also in your home to protect the planet. At Haecker Kitchens, we have adopted sustainability practices and it is at the core of our kitchen design process. Every kitchen we design at Haecker, is a sustainable kitchen.
