Turns out it is easy being green
29 May, 2020
Easy green kitchen tips
June 5 is World Environment Day, so we wanted to take the chance to look at some of the easy ways you can reduce your environmental footprint with some green kitchen tips. We’ve already written about reducing plastic and composting, which are two fantastic strategies, but there’s heaps more you can do too. And remember, you don’t have to do everything – lots of people taking imperfect action is far more achievable and sustainable than a handful of people being eco-perfectionists. So, start where you are, do what you can, and gradually become more eco-friendly in the kitchen as and when you can!
Plan your meals to reduce food waste
The average NSW households throw out around $77 worth of food – edible food, not scraps – every week. That’s around two shopping bags full. Pretty scary, right? And as well as the financial cost of that waste, there’s a massive environmental impact from all this excess food rotting in landfill. So, what to do?
Take a lesson from restaurants and spend some time menu planning. Think about how much you need per portion cook just enough. If you do have leftovers, put them to good use in future meals. Why not try having your last night’s remaining stew for breakfast instead of peanut butter on toast? Also, don’t be afraid to play around with recipes to substitute what you’ve got. Replace broccoli with cauliflower, switch out bok choi for another leafy green, use cannellini beans instead of kidney beans – you get the idea. The result might not be exactly right, but it will probably still taste great and means you save the environmental impact of driving to the shops too.
Buy well, make it last, and consider second-hand
We love a kitchen gadget as much as anyone, but it’s worth taking a moment to think about what equipment you really need. A great green kitchen tip for when you’re setting up your kitchen and needing to get plates, cutlery, pots, pans and all the bits and pieces, is to start with what you can find second-hand instead of chain store options. Then you can save up to buy better quality kitchen equipment when your budget allows. Better for your hip pocket and the planet!
Get energy efficient
Has your fridge given up the ghost? When shopping for new appliances, an eco-conscious approach is to stretch your budget for the most energy efficient appliance you can afford.
But even if you aren’t looking to upgrade, there’s a lot you can do to reduce your energy use in the kitchen. For example:
- Replace your globes with LED fittings
- Only run the dishwasher when it is full
- Batch cook to maximise your oven use – why not roast some extra veggies to throw in salads or frittatas during the week?
- Use the right size pan on your kitchen burners
- Try turning the oven off a few minutes before the cooking time ends and finish off with residual heat
- Look into using a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time and energy use
Just like all the shades of green in nature, there’s loads more ways to green up your kitchen
These ideas are really just the beginning. Some other things you can look into are:
- Buying local to reduce food miles
- Avoiding pre-prepped and packaged fruit and veg, and chopping yourself
- Eat less meat – maybe start with Meatless Mondays?
- Reduce paper towels and use reusable fabric options instead
- Collect your soft plastics to drop at a RedCycle bin at the supermarket (there’s a collection point at Woolworths at the Interchange)
- Reuse greywater from washing and cooking on your garden
Got a favourite idea we’ve not mentioned? Let us know.
