The prospect of living a more sustainable lifestyle can seem overwhelming at first. After all, there are so many different areas in our lives we can look to for reducing our carbon footprint. Where should you start? Should you consider investing in an electric vehicle? Maybe buy all your clothes from eco-friendly brands? How about integrating solar panels on your roof?
The truth is, it doesn’t matter where you start when it comes to living more sustainable. What is important is that you do start.
Of all the areas of your home to begin employing a more sustainable lifestyle, the kitchen may be the best place to start. Sure, we’re a little biased, but it makes sense. You spend a lot of time in there, use appliances that use energy and resources, like the oven, sink, and dishwasher, and it’s where food is prepared and—all too often—wasted (food waste is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills, FDA).
If you’re interested in creating a more sustainable kitchen, here are 3 tips for doing just that.
Invest in Long-Lasting, Sustainable Cookware, Utensils, and Food Containers
You get what you pay for holds true in many circumstances. This is especially relevant for kitchen accessories. Whether it’s something small like a spatula that is built to last, or a green dishwasher, there are endless opportunities to use more sustainable tools in the kitchen.
Sometimes, these products can cost more upfront. But, it’s well worth the investment. Take, for example, these paperless towels courtesy of Generation Me. Paper towels are extremely wasteful. While these paperless towels may be a bit more than a bundle of paper towels, they’ll last much longer, and you’ll help reduce your waste.
Improving your food storage is another easy way to drastically cut down on your waste. Single-use plastic bags eventually get tossed in the trash, and COVID-19 has increased plastic waste in our oceans. In other words, we should all be looking for ways to cut down on our plastic consumption. These Stasher 100% Silicone Food Grade Reusable Storage Bags are a great place to start.
Plastic waste can also derive from going to the grocery store and using a plastic grocery bag. Grab one of these reusable produce bags so that when you head to the farmer’s market or local grocery store, you can avoid using a plastic bag.
Purchase Local Produce and Meat When Possible
Speaking of the farmer’s markets, shopping for your groceries locally is another fantastic way to create a more eco-friendly kitchen. A great philosophy to have when purchasing your food is to look for foods that traveled a short amount of miles to get to its destination. For example, if you’re purchasing meat, seek out meat from a local farm or butcher. If you’re buying produce, only purchase what is in-season in your area. While some fruits that have been imported from South America may taste great in the winter, they traveled a long way to get here, and the fuel used to transport it adds to pollution levels.
In addition to looking for local farmer’s markets to take advantage of, co-ops are also an excellent source of sustainable, healthy foods!
Build a Healthier, Cleaner Kitchen With Sustainable Cabinetry
One way to build a more sustainable kitchen is by swapping out your old cabinets that may have chipboard or formaldehyde-based glues in place of cleaner cabinetry. By integrating healthier cabinets in place of outdated ones, you can improve your home’s air quality.
At Puustelli, we are firm believers that what’s good for your family is good for the environment—and the Miinus kitchen system meets Finland’s highest standard for indoor air quality.
Not only do Puustelli Kitchen Cabinets help create a more safe environment for you and your family, but they also utilize a recyclable frame made from an environmentally-friendly biocomposite. The frames are injection molded as complete units and have ready-made holes for easy assembly and for the fitting of drawers, hinges, mechanisms, and end panels. The material used in the frames have been tested for resistance to variations in temperature and humidity. The result is a healthy, long-lasting product for your home.
If you’re interested in learning more about our kitchen cabinets, you can reach out to us here!
And, if you’re interested in finding more sustainable kitchen products, check out this great article from The Strategist, “The Best Products for a Sustainable Kitchen, According to Experts“.
Products listed include alternatives for paper towels, napkins, plastic wrap, ziploc bags, plastic storage containers, as well as reusable produce and beverage containers.