All of the information out there about "Going Green" can be overwhelming. Luckily, making small changes in your lifestyle can have a big impact on the environment and your wallet. There is no better place to start making changes than in the kitchen. Try these five simple tips to get going!
1. Let go of paper products
Kitchen paper products are both expensive and wasteful. If you’re on a quest to live a more environmentally-friendly life, you’ve probably already given up paper napkins and paper plates. The most difficult challenge tends to be paper towels. Keep a good supply of rags from old tee shirts and sweat shirts handy for spills that are too messy for kitchen sponges. Try newspapers for cleaning glass, and purchase cheap cloth napkins for mealtime.
2. Put distilled white vinegar to use
A large bottle of white vinegar is ridiculously cheap and goes a long way as a cleaning agent. Try spot cleaning carpets, pre treating stains, and cleaning counter tops with a mixture of vinegar and warm water. Reuse a plastic spray bottle to keep vinegar handy for clean ups.
3. Recycle
You probably saw this one coming. Check out the website for your local recycling station. More and more stations are adopting single-stream recycling programs. What does this mean for you? NO SORTING! Not only will this allow your glass, plastic, cardboard, and aluminum go on to new uses, but you’ll save money on garbage removal. You can also recycle at home by saving glass jars to use for left overs. This will limit your exposure to chemicals like BPA that are in most plastic containers and line aluminum cans.
4. Stick to the perimeters of the grocery store
For the most part, processed foods are more expensive and offer fewer nutrients per serving than fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, and organic protein. Try filling your cart as you scan the perimeter of the store and then brave the aisles for healthy essentials. If you have trouble using up all your produce before it goes bad, buy frozen or experiment with freezing fresh produce to use whenever you like!
5. Conserve water in new ways
Of course, turn the water off when you’re not using it, but you can do more. Consider installing an aerator on your kitchen faucet. By mixing air into the stream of water, you can cut over two gallons a day. Also, although it may be surprising, dishwashers generally conserve more water than washing by hand. Make sure to run full loads and limit pre-rinsing as much as possible to capitalize on water savings!
Best of luck with your quest to become a little greener and a little richer!
Emily Goodridge - Hello everyone! I'm a young professional living in the Northeast with my boyfriend and our two dogs. I've always enjoyed writing and honed ...
