Climate change, global warming, and environmental issues are very poignant in this modern society and world. It is hugely important to be conscious of the impact we are having on the planet and how we can better it. While there are major lifestyle changes we can adopt, like a fully solar system home or hybrid car, there are smaller and easier ways to be more eco-friendly. One of these involves adjustments to your kitchen. The kitchen is the room in the house that uses a lot of water and the most plastic and because of that, we have researched how to make your kitchen more environmentally friendly so that you can do your bit for the planet.
According to sas.org over 150 plastic bottles litter each mile of UK beaches and 100,000 marine mammals, turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by plastic pollution annually. Plastic is such a problem because it isn’t biodegradable and doesn’t break down and disappear like other materials do. Instead, it can stay on the planet for hundreds of years causing damage. Our kitchen is the room in the house that uses the most plastic by a considerable amount. From carrier bags to cling-film to bottles. While these single-use methods are easy, there are alternatives that are just as simple and better for the planet.
A Bag For Life is a reusable shopping bag made from woven materials and an eco-friendly choice. They are very cheap to buy and their strength means they are great for carrying heavy shopping home multiple times. Once they are worn out they can be recycled and made into a brand new Bag For Life and many supermarkets will replace it for free if originally purchased from them. Even though they do require a purchase after many uses repay themselves, especially since most supermarkets require to you pay 5p for a plastic bag anyway. If you’re worried about the aesthetic and design of the bag then no need to as many companies and businesses are opening and creating stylish versions. Check out Rex London, a retro and vintage brand, who sells a lovely and convenient floral and motif Bags For Life.
For me cling film is one of the worst forms of plastic. You simply tear it off, use for a short while and then throw away. Thankfully, there are many alternatives for all its uses. Rather than using cling film to wrap your food in to keep it fresh, trying purchasing a stainless steel lunchbox, which is even better than a Tupperware container and can be used to travel with. For when you need to use cling film in cooking try a Bee’s Wrap. Bee’s Wrap is made from beeswax, organic cotton, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. After every use clean it and then is ready to use again.
A very popular plastic alternative taking over kitchens and eateries is the paper straw. Paper straws are made of a natural fibre i.e recycled paper which is biodegradable and compostable. Another advantage is that they do not include any harmful dyes and coloring agents, that plastic straws often do. Also, with summer here it is now BBQ and picnic season and the perfect time to use paper straws and the other paper products. Try paper plates and cutlery for a more environmentally friendly event.
The fewer miles the food from the farm has to go to the table, the better. While this is difficult for some products for meat, fruit, and vegetables it isn’t. Transporting food from other countries creates air pollution, so buying food from your own country is great. To do this visit a farmers’ market or stall, or butchers. Even better fruits and vegetables from local farms are grown without using pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and genetic modification, so much healthier too.
While it is undeniable that stacking dirty plates, glasses, and cutlery into the dishwasher is easy, it’s not that great for the planet. The average dishwasher uses 6 gallons of water per cycle and a lot of electricity to work. There are many ways you can make hand washing environmentally friendly by presoaking, washing in a bowl and not running the tap.
It is our duty to protect and care for the planet and is easy to do so. Hopefully, you’ve learned something from how to make your kitchen more environmentally friendly and been inspired.
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