There’s no doubt about it: the kitchen is one of the most wasteful rooms in the house. As much as we recycle, compost and reuse, it still feels like there’s no getting around it. The waste just keeps piling up. Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to make your household more benevolent to the planet, starting in everybody’s favorite room in the house.
It’s Not All About Trash
When we think about going green in the kitchen, we often think first about reducing our consumption of disposable products. All the plastic, glass and aluminum we consume sure piles up fast. But the truth is that our everyday implements — from scrub brushes to countertop appliances — can be just as bad for the planet.
Here are a few of the best kitchen utensils and products to swap out for more eco-friendly options.
- Wooden Dish Brush — Typical dish sponges and scrubbers are made almost entirely of plastic, which of course is made from a non-renewable fossil fuel and pollutes our air and oceans. Though they’re ubiquitous throughout the kitchen, plastic tools should be added to your permanent blacklist. Instead, invest in a high-quality wooden dish brush made with natural materials that are safe for the planet.
- Dish Soap Bar — A simple way to minimize plastic consumption throughout your home is to switch to solid products instead of liquid bottled ones. For example, you can pitch the plastic-bottled dish soap in favor of a dish soap bar that helps you scrub up your dishes without the extra waste. These products are typically made with gentler ingredients that don’t pollute our waterways, soil or air.
- Wooden Utensils — Your kitchen is probably packed with plastic cooking utensils like spatulas and spoons, especially if you use nonstick cookware that could get scratched with metal. But wood is a surprisingly sensible and robust replacement option when going eco-friendly. It’s natural, good-looking and it won’t scratch your nonstick pans! Fast-renewing wood species like bamboo are a top-notch pick.
- Cast Iron Cookware — Ditching the stainless steel and nonstick cookware for cast iron can save you tons of money over time and will prevent you from having to repeatedly replace old, beat-up pans. Cast iron lasts for ages — it can literally last for centuries — which means a ton of slow-to-degrade materials saved from the landfill.
Source: Anna Mente/Shutterstock.com - Glass Food Storage Containers — Our parents and grandparents loved their Pyrex for a reason, and this stuff (along with other equally as reliable brands) is still very much a game-changer. Glass food containers aren’t just more eco-friendly, they’re all around better. They retain their shape for life and won’t stain or leach any harmful chemicals into your food, even when you put them in the microwave.
- Reusable Sandwich Bags — For a well-organized kitchen and a neatly packed lunch, you can’t beat the convenience of plastic sandwich baggies. But these can be extremely wasteful and can wind up in landfills and waterways where they’re slow to degrade. Luckily, there are tons of sustainable plastic bag alternatives out there, many of which are made from infinitely reusable silicone.
- Stainless Steel Straws — We all know that straws pose a massive threat to our natural environment, especially to aquatic wildlife. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up slurping cooled beverages for the rest of your life. Instead, invest in non-disposable straws made from stainless steel. There are also various options out there made of wood and other biodegradable materials.
- Buy It for Life Gadgets — When the toaster or blender kicks the bucket, it often winds up in the landfill where its many plastic and metal parts will remain indefinitely. Making more substantial investments in higher-quality “Buy It for Life” appliances — appliances and gadgets that are meant to be used for a full lifetime — can help prevent you from having to replace your favorite tools and gadgets again and again.
- Reusable Paper Towels — It’s easy to get into the habit of reaching for the paper towel roll multiple times during a single cooking or cleaning session, but it can be quite a wasteful habit. Thankfully, there are a number of convenient reusable paper towel options out there that are safe to use on all sorts of surfaces. Go for an option made from super-absorbent material so you can rinse, dry and repeat an infinite number of times.
- Natural Sponges — Unfortunately, your standard cleaning aisle sponges aren’t the most hospitable to the environment, and they’re made of materials that contain some risky chemicals. But there are some fantastic eco-friendly sponges out there for washing dishes, many of which are made from natural materials like loofah and plant fibers. They’re also better for the shower and can handle all sorts of household cleaning tasks.
Source: maramorosz/Shutterstock.com - Compostable Plates — Disposable plates and cutlery are inherently not eco-friendly, and you should go for the standard reusable stuff as much as you possibly can. With that being said, there’s no denying the convenience of single-use dishware, especially if you’re hosting a big party or outdoor gathering. If you do opt to go the disposable route, choose compostable or biodegradable options.
- Biodegradable Food Wrap — Another ultra-convenient kitchen staple, plastic food wrap helps us keep food fresh, which in turn helps eliminate waste. But, of course, it’s not the most eco-friendly choice. But there are a number of genius plastic wrap alternatives out there to help you keep food from going bad without the guilt or waste. These products are often made of natural materials like beeswax and cotton for a cleaner, greener solution.
Looking for great ways to help save the planet? It may be as simple as going through the kitchen and making a few quick swaps. From unique, all-natural alternatives to brilliant new options that you can use for years to come, this list is packed with some of the best replacement products that’ll make you feel even better about cooking, cleaning and hosting.
