There are many places to “go green” in the kitchen, it is difficult to know where to start. You may already be doing many of these things…if so, good for you, good for your family and good for the planet. If you aren’t doing much green in your kitchen right now, this may give you an idea of where you can start. I don’t think it is effective for someone to try to change everything at once, maybe try to add one new thing and get that habit firmly established in the household and then add another.
To “go green” in the kitchen, the first thing I am going to do is to encourage you to actually use your kitchen more for what it was intended. We Americans eat out an awful lot and that is hard on the environment. Many restaurants do not recycle either their cans and boxes or their food waste that could be composted. Plus there can be a lot of throw away plasticware, table cloths, and other packaging.
In addition, your kitchen was intended for cooking, not just opening a package of lunchables and washing it down with a Diet Coke. I know I am getting a bit preachy here and I apologize if I have offended you. I know not everyone had the benefit of a mother who cooked and encouraged cooking skills in her children. If you don’t know how to cook, check out some cookbooks from the library that seem simple. It is really just a matter of following directions.
As I mentioned about the restaurants, if you recycle your packaging AND compost your food waste (no oil, dairy or meat products can go in the compost), you will be doing a tremendous amount to help the environment.
Speaking of recycling, consider what kind of packaging you are purchasing. Instead of getting individual servings of fruit cocktail or getting juice boxes, could you be creative and get a full-size can of fruit cocktail an entire bottle of juice? Instead of buying the sliced and cored pineapple, buy the whole pineapple and cut it yourself, storing it in a reusable container.
While we are speaking of pineapple, consider how far away your food has to travel to get to you. The closer your food has been grown, the less shipping costs and environmental factors PLUS your food didn’t have to be picked completely green and then ripen en route.
Look at the cleaners you are using in your kitchen. Bleach is terrible for the environment AND for you. Simple dishsoap will take care of a lot of the germs created in general food preparation and day-to-day living. If you have splattered raw chicken across the counter, use a germicide but make it one that is environmentally friendly (note: you will want to rinse off the area with fresh water rather than just leave the germicide sit there).
Phosphates are still permitted in dishwash detergent and they cause a variety of problems in the environment. I am running short on space here but trust me, they aren’t good for the environment and it is questionable that they are any good for us either. Do yourself and the planet a favor…look at your dishwash detergent (especially you automatic dishwash detergent) and see if it contains phosphates. If it does, please get some that doesn’t.
We haven’t even touched on purchasing organic foods (good for you AND the planet) or cooking with a crockpot instead of the oven (uses significantly less power) or reducing your meat consumption (good for you and the planet).
If any of this strikes a cord with you, try taking on the one that seems the simplest or makes the most sense to you. Try implementing the habit until it actually feels like a habit. Make sure you talk to your family members and/or roommates to make sure they are on-board too. Good luck!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who cares about the planet and the people living there. You can find awesome green cleaners at her website: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com Donna is paid by Shaklee for products purchased through her or her website.
