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Easy Ways to Go Green in the Kitchen

Many of us have started to see the impact that our habits have on the environment. We might be trying to become more environmentally friendly, less wasteful, and more energy conserving. Going green is something that most people want to do, but they might not necessarily know where to start. This article includes some of the easy ways that you can go green in your kitchen.

Going green might seem like something that might be difficult to become; however, it does not have to be.

Below are some easy ways that can assist you in making your kitchen more green.

1. Consider the way you wash dishes

Dishwashers are known to use 37% less water per load than when you wash dishes by hand. When using a dishwasher, the key to saving water is by waiting until you have enough dishes for a full load. Using the dishwasher only when you have a full load ensures that you use less water and energy.

You can easily save water while washing your dishes by hand as you could fill one side of the sink with soapy water and then fill the other side where you will rinse the dishes instead of wasting water by letting it run. Washing dishes by hand saves more water if you do not have a full load of dishes for the dishwasher.

 

2. Use long-lasting cookware

When buying cookware and utensils, choose those that will be able to stand the test of time. Though we all love non-stick pans, they also have limited useful life, and there are some potential health hazards that these non-stick surfaces might also have. Instead, invest in cast iron or stainless steel as they tend to last longer. The same applies to the utensils that you use. Choose sturdy utensils that have high quality instead of cheaper ones with lower quality. Instead of making use of paper towels in your kitchen, choose to invest in long-lasting cloth towels.

 

3. Practice energy-efficient cooking

There are some easy cooking techniques that we might use that use up more energy than is unnecessary. Eliminating these cooking methods can prove to be a significant step in ensuring that your kitchen becomes greener, such as:

Stop Preheating

Preheating uses a lot of energy that might not be necessary. There are, however, some ovens that come to temperature quickly, eliminating the need to preheat. When baking or roasting things that allow more flexibility with the cooking time, you can place it in the oven earlier and switch off the oven five or ten minutes earlier to finish cooking in the residual heat.

Use a Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers refer to vessels that are used for cooking food under high-pressure steam. They are one the greatest ways that you could implement to save energy and reduce your cooking time by up to 70 percent.

Eat Raw

The best way to save energy is by leaving heat out of the equation through eating food raw such as salads. You could also eat more dishes that require less prep, which can be eaten cold, such as chilled soups.

Reduce Oven Usage

It is crucial that you make the best use of cooking more than one thing whenever you use the oven. If you are making small dishes, you could choose to use the microwave instead, reducing cooking energy by up to 80 percent. Its so easy.

 

4. Cook from scratch

Purchasing pre-prepared or frozen food is something that you should avoid, as these foods need to be thawed and rehydrated before you can consume them. Instead, you can choose to buy fresh foods and cook them by yourself. Cooking your own food from scratch also ensures that you know what exactly is in your food, and you can choose foods that are ethically sourced as you will have the option to do so. Avoiding pre-prepared or frozen foods also ensures that you cut out the steps in your foods lifecycle, such as the energy used in the processing and the transportation required for each easy step.

 

5. Purchase local ingredients

The food you cook in your kitchen is just as important as the appliances and cookware you use. Therefore you should buy local whenever you have the chance to do so. The more distance that your food travels before it reaches you, the more it increases the rate of pollution. Purchasing food that is far also means that the food is not always in the best condition when it arrives. Therefore, buying local ingredients allows you to get fresher food that will last longer.

 

6. Buy and cook in bulk

Buying food in bulk means that you use less packaging, and it also reduces the number of trips that you take to stores which can assist you in saving money. Buying in bulk not only applies to food, but it also includes items you use in the kitchen, such as kitchen tools.

When you cook in bulk, you ensure efficient use of your time and appliance energy. Cooking in bulk also allows you to plan ahead so that you have enough food to feed your family for a few days, ensuring that you have more free time to spend relaxing.

 

7. Recycle

Recycling is the best method that you could implement to ensure that your kitchen becomes greener. There are many areas available that focus on recycling, so you can do some research to find out where the recycling areas are in your city. You can also make it easier to recycle in your kitchen by choosing a convenient spot in your kitchen to keep any garbage that you will recycle.

 

 

Conclusion

Going green does not have to be complicated as there are some simple methods that you could follow that will reduce the amount of waste you make. By following the tips offered in this article, you can ensure that your home becomes more eco-friendly without having to make any significant changes that might be difficult to maintain in the long run.

 

Don’t forget to take a look at the SMALL Acts to Make a BIG Environmental Difference!