How Green Is Your Kitchen?
Is your kitchen green? I don’t mean that the walls are painted a shade of green that was named Color of the Year 2022. I’m referring to how environmentally green you’ve made the busiest room in your home. Some small changes in your routine can make a big difference.
It starts before you even get to your kitchen – think about what you’re bringing in, or more importantly NOT bringing in, to your home. Shop with reusable grocery bags instead of bringing in the extra plastic or paper bags each time you buy groceries. Choose bulk items to in the produce section to put in your reusable net produce bags, instead of plastic-wrapped vegetables on Styrofoam trays. (And by the way, why would anyone wrap an orange in cellophane? Nature already provides an orange with the perfect packaging.)
Are you picking up food to-go for dinner? Seek local eateries that use recyclable containers, not Styrofoam. Or re-purpose plastic containers for leftover food storage instead of disposable storage baggies. There are also many reusable baggie-like products available that zip close and are washable so that they can be reused many times. And there are cloth snack bags and sandwich wraps as green alternatives. Check out these hand-made-in-Virginia products!
Try curbing the habit of reaching for the roll of paper towels, and use the new cloth “paperless towels” available instead. Or designate a clean dishcloth each day for counter wipes during food prep. Add it to the laundry hamper each night, and it will be ready to go again another day.
Are you composting yet? Composting is the ultimate trash to treasure! You just save your kitchen food scraps, add them to a pile in your backyard with grass clippings and yard waste, and voilà! It “cooks down” to become the most beneficial soil enhancer – all for free! Check out these guidelines and this short, fun video created by one of our affiliates, Keep Chesapeake Beautiful.
If you’re in the market for appliances and equipment, consider the online marketplace to purchase recent models that are gently used – a great way to save a little green! Or if you’re buying new, shop for an energy-efficient washing machine, refrigerator, water heater, dishwasher or oven.
The more we’re conscientious about our products and our homes, the greater impact we can all have on the world around us. With a little planning, our kitchen and our homes can be very green indeed.