5 Ways to Keep Your Kitchen Green

Little girl holding recycling bottles with thumbs up at home in the kitchen

Little girl holding recycling bottles with thumbs up at home in the kitchen

Living a greener and more eco friendly life is more popular than it has ever been. Many households want to go green but don’t seem to know where to start. Luckily, there are some specific steps you can take to quickly green up your home. Many experts suggest that you should begin this process by taking your home one room at a time. For example, one of the areas ripe for improvement is the kitchen. So, what are a few ways you can make your kitchen even more green?

Take Advantage Of Waste Heat

Part of being eco friendly is being smart with how you heat and cool your home. The less time that your heating and cooling systems have to run, the less energy you will consume. One such way to save on heating bills during the colder months is to use all of the waste heat that your over produces. Waste heat is all of the heat left over once you have completed baking something. Then, once you have turned the oven off, you can leave the oven door open to allow this excess heat into your home. It may not make up for much, but it keeps you in the mindset of always trying to find greener ways to do things.

Use Eco Friendly Water Treatment

Many homes currently have their water treated to remove things like lead and other particulates from their water supply. Unfortunately, more complex water treatment systems can be harsh on the environment through excessive use of salt or electricity. To help green up your kitchen, ensure that your water treatment system is fully eco friendly. This can serve two purposes by conserving the environment and providing you with clean water for your whole family.

Invest In Energy Efficient Appliances

One of the biggest consumers of energy in not only your kitchen, but also your entire home, are the appliances. While we may not see how the electricity in our home is generated, the process can be very harmful to the environment depending on the fuel source. For example, many electrical power plants operate by burning fossil fuels to heat water. This water is then converted into high quality steam and used to turn a turbine which then generates electricity. The emissions from the combustion of these fossil fuels can be extremely harmful to the environment. Energy efficient appliances use less electricity meaning their carbon footprint is far lower than traditional appliances. Additionally, these appliances can be seen as an investment. Because your utility bills will now be lower each month, energy efficient appliances will eventually pay for themselves.

Use Eco Friendly Cleaning Supplies

While we may not often think about cleaning as a negative thing, the chemicals which make up cleaners can be harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly. To avoid this, consider using eco friendly cleaners in your home. Not only are these better for the environment, but they are often safer for you and your family to be around. Because many natural cleaners are simple to make on your own, many homeowners even buy the ingredients to make their own eco friendly cleaning supplies and save hundreds of dollars per year.

Value Sustainability Over Convenience

While we always are pressed for time, convenience is often the enemy of sustainability. For example, while it may be more convenient to use disposable plates, cups and silverware when you are having a big family gathering, it is much better for the environment if you use reusable dinnerware. Not only does this reduce your total waste but it also saves you money in the long term.

Making your home more green seems much more attainable if you take it only one room at a time. By starting in the kitchen, you are well on your way to living in a more sustainable space.