Make a shift to eco-friendly living – start with your kitchen.

Organic, sustainable & eco-friendly kitchens should be the present that harnesses the future!

The growing pace of technology and population has left the planet with high pollution levels. This in turn has altered and has had a devastating impact on the environment. As we are aware, this has caused climate change and in turn global warming. The glaciers are melting at a faster pace than ever. The United Nations has declared action on climate change as one of the 17 sustainable development goals. It is high time and vital for us to come together to take action!

Change always starts from within, from our homes and our neighborhood. Small steps can make a great difference to combat climate change. Let’s start with our kitchen. Sustainable kitchens are not just good for the environment but for the overall health of your family. Let’s look at small yet effective ways to remodel the kitchen into eco-friendly spaces.

These are few ways to make your kitchen eco-friendly:

Eco-friendly cutlery and crockery

Kitchen crockery and cutlery hugely impacts our overall health. The material used to make crockery and cutlery should be safe. Materials such as plastic pose a risk of health hazards. The use of crockery and cutlery made of glass, earthen pots, etc can reduce health and environmental hazards.

Earthen

Earthen pots are the best choice, especially in tropical climatic zones. They have been around for centuries. These are not just eco-friendly but also pocket-friendly. These consume less oil making it a healthier choice. Curd-setting pots, kulhads, cooker are few favorite choices.

Wooden

From spatulas to cutting boards can be replaced by an eco-friendly option such as wooden cutlery. It was found that chopping vegetables on a plastic board can be a source of plastic in your food.

Bamboo

Even though this is not a very durable option, bamboo is eco-friendly and is easily grown in comparison to bamboo. Dining table cutlery can be easily switched with bamboo-made products.

Energy efficiency 

Energy-efficient kitchens will progress us into a better world. The use of gas to the techniques to reduce energy while working in the kitchen will help us reduce the environmental effects.

The right mode to cook

It is important to be watchful of what we are cooking and how it should be cooked. The use of induction takes way lesser as compared to other modes of cooking. Whereas the LPG gas cylinder generates very minimum greenhouse gases. Make sure to install IGT gas safety device for a safe cooking experience. 

Be watchful

Cooking with closed lids saves time and energy. Chopping veggies and meat reduces the cooking time altogether. Using pressure cooking also reduces cooking time. While cooking in a microwave, opening the device should be avoided. Constant opening and closing of the microwave causes more consumption of energy.

Solar cooking

The best mode of cooking is through the use of solar energy, it is 100% environmentally friendly. Solar ovens, cookers, cooktop, etc. can reduce the environmental impact to a considerable rate. The initial investment may be more in comparison to the regular cooktops, yet, in the longer can save money and energy.

Plastic-free

These days everything we buy comes in plastic packaging. It is hard to comprehend the amount of plastic we use every week. In the kitchen there a lot of aspects where we can reduce the use of plastic.

Shop local

The best way to do away is to buy in a local store. The Supermarts have everything wrapped in plastic. The local shops also provide a variety of local ingredients and seasonal stuff. This can prove to be good health-wise. You will also be supporting a small-time local store.

Bring your own bag

Whenever you go shopping, carry your own bag. There are a number of eco-friendly options when it comes to bags. Cloth bags and jute bags last very long. While shopping for grains and groceries, carrying containers can be helpful.

Plastic-free shelves

Replace plastic spice jars and grain containers with glass. Plastic is not just harmful to your health but can fill up landfills for generations to see. Reuse ketchup/jam bottles to store kitchen essentials.

Waste Management 

Waste generation is a part of the process and it is difficult to avoid. The best thing is to avoid waste generation as much as possible. Even after your efforts, there still will a reasonable amount of waste generated. The right disposal is vital

Disposal

Waste segregation should be done in each kitchen. Biodegradable waste and non-biodegradable should have separate disposal. A tab on the amount of waste and the type of waste generated can help reduce the waste generation in the future.

Recycle

There are a lot of items that go into the waste bin that can be recycled or upcycled. For instance, the vegetable and fruit peels and waste can be used to make compost for the garden. The ketchup/jam bottles can be used to store items. They can be upcycled into lanterns also.

Kitchen Garden

Kitchen gardens can be an asset. They won’t just promote healthier living, but also are great for the environment. Gardening has proven to be a stress buster. The kitchen garden can have vegetables, fruits, and leafy green. Organic food is sought after in the world we live in.  Read more about the kitchen gardens here. 

We are out of option, if we want a future the route is through eco-friendly living. The sooner we make the shift the better for the planet. Let’s pledge to make this shift in every aspect of our lives.

Also, read about the Uses of the garden roses here.