Enviro Kitchen.
Helping Mother Earth Anyway I Can
I would never describe myself as an astute environmentalist or even a bonafide tree hugger although, have you ever hugged a tree? That shit is magical! That being said I find myself worrying more and more about my carbon footprint as temperatures and sea levels rise around the world. I know that even if I produced zero waste that my household wouldn’t save the planet, but at least I could sleep at night knowing that I tried and did my best.
One of the most wasteful parts of my home was my kitchen. Yes, I’m guilty of having veggies spoil in my fridge and using single-use plastic like cling wrap and those produce baggies from the supermarket. For me the more I realized how much I was wasting the more I realized how much money was going down the drain. After assessing how much damage I was doing to my wallet and how much of my waste was just ending up at the landfill I decided to be more conscious about my kitchen habits. Here are some happy planet habits I picked up along the way:
Coffee Maker with No Filters!
Coffee is a must in the morning! My boyfriend + I do not own a coffeemaker that takes up precious counter space. Instead, we have this handy drip coffee maker that already comes with a fine mesh filter.
Silicone Mat.
Silicone mats are a great way to reduce the usage of parchment paper and aluminum foil on baking sheets.
Veggie Bags.
I take these fine mesh baggies to the market to grab produce instead of using the roll of plastic that is provided.
Loofah Sponges.
I don’t have a dishwasher so I go through A LOT of sponges in a year. Every brand eventually breaks down and has to be thrown out. These pups are completely compostable and are super durable.
Recyclable Egg Cartons.
Not everyone has the luxury to buy pasture-fed eggs, but you can make a conscious choice to buy eggs that come in recyclable material instead of styrofoam or plastic.
Sad Veggies, Delicious Broth.
When veggies get lost in the back of the fridge and are found wilted or looking sad it’s time to make veggie broth! Put them in a reusable bag in the freezer for when you’re ready to make broth.
Good Soap.
I love a good deal. Whenever any plant-based dish soaps are on sale I stock up. They’re not necessarily pricier than your traditional soaps and usually have some nice real scents that aren’t called Mountain Mist or Green Wind.
Reusable Paper Towels.
This is an absolute revelation. Bamboo paper towels. They are SUPER STRONG. Durable and dependable. Washable. They dry super fast and are sooo inexpensive. Also, compostable! Say what!?
Jars. Jars. Jars.
Mason jars are great, but why buy any when you can repurpose tomato sauce jars, salsa jars, baby food jars (if you have kiddos), the list goes on!
This list is of my favorite things + by no way am I getting paid to hawk ANY of these products!