Eco-Friendly Kitchen
The kitchen can be one of the busiest places in the house. It can also be a significant source of waste. Try to cut back on waste, even in small steps, and save hundreds of products and package from landfills. Zero-waste habits save energy, resources, and carbon emissions.
So how do we go zero-waste in the kitchen? There are little tricks that can help you daily. Not only do these practices keep plastics from landfills, but they keep harmful toxins from your body, soil, and water supply.
Use silicone cooking utensils instead of plastic
Various types of plastic can leech when heated. Therefore, cooking utensils should not be made of plastic. Time and time again, it is so common to see plastic spatulas, spoons, and whisks.
Silicone is an alternative to plastic. Silicone can withstand high heat and won’t break down over time. Using silicone cooking utensils instead of plastic can reduce microplastics in your food and waterways.
Dropps dishwasher pods
Looking for easy-to-use and safe dish detergent pods? Dropps hits sustainability goals from packaging and ingredients to partnerships. Click here to check these eco-friendly and plant-based dishwasher pods out yourself.
Dropps is an awarded EPA Safer Choice brand. Their ingredients are never harmful to aquatic ecosystems and safer for fish. They also partner with Oceana, as advertised on their recyclable and compostable packaging.
Bamboo dish brush
A bamboo dish brush is a great and easy way to eliminate the plastic sponge. These long brushes get hard-to-reach areas and have replaceable sponge heads. You can even boil the bristles to get them clean and reuse them again and again. Plus, the long handle keeps your hands clean of bacteria.
Here is a sustainable and biodegradable option for a bamboo dish brush.
Glass storage containers
We receive food in plastic at the store. Even after we’ve taken food out of plastic packaging and cooked it, we put it back in plastic! Let’s end the toxic cycle. It’s great to eat leftovers instead of throwing them in the trash. But do we have to store them in plastic?
Many people will heat their leftovers in plastic storage containers. BIG NO! Plastic can leach into food and drinks regularly but intensifies when heated. These chemicals have been linked to health problems. Buy glass containers that are safer for food and you.
Food waste & scraps in the compost
A goal for food waste is to keep it only to the bits and ends of vegetables, fruit, eggshells, or coffee grinds. But we all know that leftover meals, rotten veggies, and could’ve been used food ends up wasted too.
Saving food waste for compost in the backyard or through commercial pick-up services can reduce carbon emissions. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest carbon emitter in the world. Throwing food in the trash ends up in landfills where it won’t decompose in plastic bags. Look for composting options accessible to you!
Check the recycling arrows
Another piece of food, another piece of plastic packaging. We’ve all seen the orange or banana wrapped in plastic from the store in eco-memes online. With all this plastic on our hands, let’s recycle as much as possible.
Before you toss plastic packaging, check the bottom for recycling codes. These codes are shown with chasing arrows and a number. Number 1 and 2 are the most accepted curbside. Your town’s website will have more information on what is curbside accepted.
All these sustainable habits and kitchen products can help your zero-waste journey. Investing in more expensive and long-lasting items upfront can save you money and health problems down the road. Small steps at home change customer demand as environmental awareness increases globally.