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Keeping a Sustainable Kitchen

Doing your part for the environment can be easy & inexpensive!

By Emily the Period RDPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Keeping a Sustainable Kitchen
Photo by Christian Mackie on Unsplash

Now more than ever, we’re looking for long-term strategies to reduce our homes environmental impact. We donate old items, invest in better efficiency home appliances, and use our vehicles less. These past few months of pandemic have even been somewhat of an advantage - there's less that is open and available, so we stay home. Of course, we're all hoping we get back to some sort of normal eventually. What if there was a way to make your kitchen more sustainable once we get there?

Making the switch to greener kitchen practices can seem overwhelming; luckily, a few easy tricks can get you started. And thankfully, they don't break the bank either!

Stick to your grocery basics: Grocery shop for only what you need, and look for local ingredients. Depending on your family, this may look like once a week or every few days. This allows you to purchase the things you need right before you need them instead of waiting to stock up. You’ll avoid spending extra money on things you might not actually use and you’ll support your local economy. Reduced food miles, or the distance that food has to travel to get to your table, may help contribute to lower greenhouse gases from transportation by air, truck or water. Shopping more frequently can also help you avoid purchasing too much food that will go bad before you eat it. How many of us buy produce in bulk and find it rotting in the bottom of the fridge before we get to it? I know I have (and the fruit flies remind me about it every time).

Use, reuse, and reuse again: Use reusable containers and bags more often. Glass containers for leftovers won’t hold onto food smells and stains or break down the way that plastic containers do. Reusable water bottles also reduce the amount of plastic thrown away. I prefer stainless steel water bottles because they keep hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold unlike a room temperature and disposable plastic bottle. If you have reusable mesh produce bags, use them to choose your fruits and vegetables instead of the plastic bags you’ll likely toss away later. Be sure to wash your reusable bags often to reduce bacteria and mold - there are so many different types of bags and ways to wash them safely and effectively, so a quick Google search is helpful.

Meal plan for the environment : Plan ahead for using ingredients more than once. Leftovers are your friend, especially when they are used in other dishes. You’ll avoid throwing out food and you’ll save more money on groceries in the long run. And try to use plant proteins, like beans and lentils, more often; they last in the pantry longer and reduce some of the emissions from animal agriculture - this of course, is a whole other topic entirely.

T-shirts & tea towels: Reuse textiles for wash and dry rags. Old pillowcases, cotton t-shirts, and more can be repurposed for dishwashing and drying instead of throwing away. Be sure to allow adequate drying time between uses to avoid bacteria build-up. And of course, donating anything you don't need anymore and is still in reasonable condition is much better than tossing in the garbage - check to see if stores around you collect clothing or textiles for reselling at a reduced price or use for other purposes like pillow fillings, mattress creation and more.

Start a compost bin : Compost food scraps and coffee grounds if you can. Instead of ending up in landfills, the unused portions can help feed a garden or houseplants.When mixed in with grass clippings or small twigs, this can provide great nutrients to a garden which can reduce your need to grocery shop later! This little trick is how I ended up with a little magical pumpkin in my own garden (I did some pumpkin carving and the seeds went in the compost, which then went on top of the new veggie garden - yippee!) Keep a small bin under the kitchen sink and bring it to a larger bin when full. There are some occasions where composting just isn't a realistic strategy - like in an apartment complex with no ability to garden. If your community has a compost program, find out more and participate. Or, like clothing and textiles, donate to a friend or family member who has a garden you can help feed.

Over time, small changes can make a difference, both in your home and for the planet!

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About the Creator

Emily the Period RD

I help people with periods navigate menstrual health education & wellness with a healthy serving of sass (and not an ounce of nutrition pseudoscience).

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