Hey friends,
We all want to be able to help preserve our beautiful planet that we live on, but often times it feels impossible and complicated to do the right thing every time to be more eco friendly. So why not start in one area of the house first: the kitchen. The kitchen is a place we spend a lot of time in and can even be called the heart of the house.
I have 6 easy tips for a more eco friendly kitchen. These steps are so easy and can be implemented right away. These are changes anyone and everyone can easily make.
1. Use reusable towels and rags
I have three towels/ rags in my kitchen. One to dry my hands with, one to dry my dishes with and one to wipe the kitchen counter with. The key here is to use reusable towels instead of paper towels. This way there isn’t waste created each time. Instead the towels can be used multiple times, washed and reused.
2. Skip the plastic wrap
Now this one might be one that you have heard before. Now you can either use one of those fancy bees wax wraps that have an added anti-bacterial benefit, or use reusable containers to store any cut up veggies, fruit or leftovers in. Like the tip before, it is about using reusable items that can be washed and cutting down on one-time-use items.
3. Switch to LED light bulbs
LED lights are light bulbs that are more energy savings. They turn the majority of the energy into light, and only little energy is wasted and turned into heat. Also LED lights aren’t manufactured with any toxic components that are put into the environment when the bulb is discarded. Even though LED lights are more expensive up front, you save so much money on energy and the bulbs last far longer!
4. Cover your pot when cooking
This is a super easy tip that has no additional cost and can be implemented in 2 seconds. Cover your pot when cooking to prevent heat from escaping the pot. This way the cooking time can be reduced significantly and you need less energy to heat the pot. A win-win for everyone.
5. Use glass/ steal drinking bottles
First off, you should be using reusable drinking bottles anyways, no matter what material it is made of. However glass/ steal drinking bottles are better for your health than plastic bottles. Plastic bottles leak mico-plastic and toxic substances into the water. The small amount isn’t considered harmful for your health, however why not avoid it if you can since it is a toxic substance. Also glass/ steal drinking bottles don’t contain BPA, which is a chemical that is similar to the hormone estrogen and can interfere with our hormone balance in our body. Lastly, the bottles don’t last forever and land in the trash sooner than later, so why not avoid adding plastic wast to our planet.
I personally prefer a stainless steal drinking bottle, because I have had bad experiences with glass bottles breaking easily or being to heavy.
6. Clean with toxin free products
I already talked about cleaning with toxin free products in my minimalist cleaning habits post, so check that one out for more details. But basically I’m a huge advocate for cleaning with vinegar! It is so much more effective than commercial cleaning products and of course toxin free. I like to spray mine with a amber spray bottle all over my sink and counter ***careful! don’t use it on natural stone, it will corrode your stone!*** let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe it off with plain water. Also it is anti-bacterial and just all in all a fantastic cleaning product! I add some tea tree essential oils to it, to cancel out the vinegar smell and for added anti-bacterial benefits.
Catchy Cravings 