How Environmentally Friendly is Your Kitchen? Here’s How to Improve Its Efficiency and be more environment friendly
There are a lot of people who love to cook, but they just don’t have the right tools and equipment needed to do so. This is where your kitchen can be considered as one of the most important rooms in your house. Everything you use in this room will affect the environment since it will cause more pollution. So, take some time out and make sure that you’re using products that are more environment friendly. Here are some tips on how to be more environment friendly while cooking.
Make sure that you’re not using products that are harmful to the environment.
• Before buying any food product, check its packaging to see if the label has any information about the environmental impact of this product. You will be surprised at how many brands that you trust may have harmful ingredients that can pollute the air you breathe.
• Don’t discard plastic bags when you are done using them because they take many years to decompose. Instead, recycle them to avoid the oil used in producing new ones.
• Refrigerator and freezer is the most important part in your kitchen. It takes some serious power to keep your food cold and frozen. A refrigerator should not be more than two years old. The better your fridge is made, the longer it will keep food cool and frozen. Most homes use an ice maker to keep the frozen food cold.
Don’t use products that will cause more pollution.
Whatever you’re using, whether it’s the cleaning products, dish soap or vegetable oil, all these can be harmful to the environment. So, you should know what you’re putting in your kitchen. Some of the ways of conserving energy are: Stock up on the smaller appliances. If you do not use your oven much, it is better to get a microwave or a slow cooker instead. You should also try to avoid using the biggest mixer in the store. And if you still feel like using one, just clean it regularly to keep its material as healthy as possible. Use the right kind of oil. Many people believe that using too much oil will spoil the taste of food, but this isn’t always true. Oil should be used at low temperatures and for short durations.
Avoid using toxic materials and products.
Soap: You will need a good lot of soap for your kitchen to do an excellent job. Most of the chemicals in it can be harmful to the environment and to your body, so always avoid using them. Be a smart consumer and choose products that have all the right ingredients and that are not only environmentally friendly, but also beneficial to your well being.
Baking Soda: For cleaning any type of messes or any stains, you should always use a homemade solution. This is because there is no need for chemical cleaners. All you need is baking soda.
Carpet cleaner: You should avoid using carpet cleaners as they can produce toxic waste, which can be a real problem when you’re working in the kitchen, especially if you use your hands.
Use eco-friendly cookware.
Ensure you’re using eco-friendly cookware to reduce your carbon footprint. Although this may be expensive, it is worth it. Using a non-stick pan reduces oil from grease from your pan that can damage your stove. Wash your pans frequently. You don’t want to spend all your time scrubbing your pans and learning how to do it, right? So, ensure that you have the right way to clean your pans. Take note that a common mistake people make is washing their pans with soap. This can have serious effects on the environment as it uses a lot of water to remove the soap. Instead, let your pans soak in water for an hour or more and you will see how much more efficient it is. Prevent food from heating up and drying out.
Dylan Welch is the CEO and Host of Going Green, a podcast, website, and social media brand that highlights renewable energy, cleantech, and sustainable news.