For most of us, Kitchen is a significant section of our home. It's where we store groceries, cook for family and friends, sit, communicate, and have dinner. Probably, it's also the only section of our homes that we regularly shop for, yet the most difficult one to make eco-conscious changes to. Interesting?
A large part of our kitchen buys come with plastic covers and wrapping that is difficult to avoid. But there are options to contain the purchase of one-time-use plastics by making small, mindful changes. Doing this would enable us to make eco-conscious choices daily and reduces the plastic waste that goes into landfills.
Whether you are already on your journey towards a sustainable lifestyle or are just beginning, these seven sustainable kitchen swap ideas are a good start. They are easy to adopt and can save you money in the long run.
1. Reuse glass and plastic bottles in your kitchen
Remember the glass/plastic bottles filled with sauces, pickles, dips, kombucha, etc., sitting in your refrigerator? Do not discard them once they are empty. Wash them thoroughly, dry them, and reuse them to store groceries such as lentils, seeds, nuts, spices, flour, etc.
You could use them as a flower vase as well. Reusing not only reduces waste but saves you money from purchasing storage containers. And if you have plastic wrappers or covers that you used to store groceries in, recycle them.
2. Invest in good stainless steel water bottles
Did you know that disposable water bottles wash away into the oceans and kill 1.1 million creatures a year? And the bottling process itself releases 2.2 million tons of Carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually. Instead of buying bottled water, invest in a good stainless steel water bottle that you can carry when you go out.
3. Swedish dishcloths instead of paper rolls
One reusable Swedish dishcloth is equal to 17 paper rolls used to clean kitchen countertops! So start buying dishcloths now. They are easy to clean, air-dry quickly, don't stink as much as sponges, and mainly, are compostable.
4. Replace paper napkin rolls with reusable fabric napkins
This swap can save you 17 paper rolls. Eliminate paper napkins and replace them with good quality reusable fabric napkin rolls.
5. Replace plastic carry bags with reusable fabric grocery bags
Invest in a good quality reusable grocery shopping bag. Next time you go grocery shopping, take this bag with you and say no to the plastic bags offered at supermarkets and convenience stores. Doing this prevents quite a lot of plastic from coming into our homes.
When it comes to storing fruits and vegetables, opt for woven baskets instead of buying plastic storage boxes. Check out the Baskets & Bins collection on Earthn; they have free shipping within the US.
6. Replace liquid soaps with Bar soaps
Bar soaps that come with least to no packaging are the best zero-waste option to avoid liquid soaps that come in plastic containers. Handmade soap bars are even better. But if you are using liquid soap already, you can reuse the plastic containers as long as possible and recycle them later on.
7. Swap plastic dishwashing brush with Bamboo dish scrubber
Bamboo is better for the planet - it does not require much water to grow or any chemical fertilizers. Moreover, bamboo usually matures in about three years, while some species grow even faster. So, bamboo is a sustainable option compared to hardwood which is quite contrary.
Using a bamboo scrubber to clean dishes is a durable option. It cleans well and is widely available now. Some even come with replaceable heads. Purchase the one that suits your kitchen needs and replace those plastic ones already!
