Eco-friendly and sustainable living should start at home – and which room is the heart of that home? Switching out those plastics for responsibly sourced materials can help you live better without harming the planet. Let’s look closely at the materials you cook with daily and see if sustainable alternatives exist.
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Sustainable Alternatives to use in the Kitchen.
Before you rush out to buy a new replacement for an old and broken plastic item, let’s review how making small changes in your kitchen can improve the sustainability levels of your household overall.
1 – Knife Sharpener to Sharpening Stone
An all-natural sharpening stone is an obvious solution for those who have blunt knives. Instead of rushing off to spend excessive amounts on a fancy knife sharpening set made from plastic, skip out and use a natural sharpening stone instead. These stones will last you for years and are the perfect addition to any new chef’s knife bag. They are more sustainable than knife sharpening sets and don’t blunt as the sharpening rods might. This is the best place to start if you care about sustainability in your kitchen.
2 – Plastic Sponges to Compostable Sponges
Many people don’t realize that the yellow and green sponges most of us use in our kitchens daily are made of plastic. It isn’t until you try to clean a hot cooker with one that it melts that you might understand. Instead of using these plastic-style sponges, switch them out to something else. A great alternative is the new compostable sponge, which goes straight on your compost pile. Switching out such a small item could save hundreds of non-recyclable sponges going to landfills every year.
3 – Plastic carrier bags to mesh alternatives
Supermarkets have begun to monitor their plastic use, and that is fantastic. It’s been a long time in coming. Now that it is here, you might find no plastic bags in the fruit and veg aisle. Instead, they offer mesh alternatives made from hemp fibers, or other non-plastic materials. These will last you for years if your take care of them, making them a much better alternative to those flimsy plastic bags you used to throw in the garbage.
4 –Fragrance-Free Soaps
Many soaps you use in your kitchen contain harsh perfumes and chemicals that damage your skin and the environment. Look for a minimally perfumed soap without harsh chemicals (like Lye). White soaps are best because they have no dyes. You can even shop for specially prepared soaps which use only natural ingredients to make the experience part of your self-care routine.
Other Tips to Make Your Kitchen Sustainable
There are other ways you can upgrade the products you use in the kitchen for sustainable choices. Look for bamboo plates and crockery. Bamboo coffee cups are a great idea. Assuming the handle is wooden, you can replace brushes with bamboo bristle alternatives to make them compostable. You can pick up waxed food wraps instead of using plastic wrap. When you set your mind to it, the opportunities are endless.
