How to Make Your Kitchen More Eco-Friendly

If you are planning to do a kitchen renovation, it is the perfect time to consider making your kitchen more eco-friendly.

The cost of a kitchen renovation is not normally cheap. However, by incorporating some of these sustainable tips you can save yourself some money in the long run, as well as creating a kitchen that is better for the environment. These six tips will help you get started.

Organise Your Bins

Recycling and kitchen compost bins are essential for an eco-friendly home. You can find many innovative ways to fit them in. For instance, you can use space underneath the sink or create hidden storage under a kitchen island.

Compost bins are usually kept outdoors, but you might think that this is out of the question if you do not have an outdoor space. Now, you can find compost bins that fit on the kitchen counter. Many of them have a filter to cut down on odours.

Lighting

Using energy-efficient lightbulbs might seem like a small thing at first, but it can add up to significant savings on your electricity bill. Old incandescent bulbs were phased out starting in 2009, but you can still find some of them around. These older-style bulbs waste up to 90% of the energy that they consume. By comparison, newer compact fluorescent lamps provide a comparable level of light and use less energy.

Another option is LED lights. They are often more expensive than compact fluorescent ones, but they last much longer. Many of them can last between 15,000-50,000 hours of use.

Energy-efficient Appliances

If you are renovating your home or replacing your old appliances, finding ones that are rated for energy efficiency can save you on the electricity you consume. Also, it is essential to maintain your appliances and have them serviced regularly to make them last longer.

Performing the recommended maintenance helps keep them working as efficiently as when you purchased them. Also, you will not contribute to the landfill as often. If you need to rid yourself of old appliances, try to find someone who can recycle them.

Invest in Durable Utensils

Purchasing durable cooking utensils is another way to be more environmentally friendly. The less you have to throw out, the less that ends up in a landfill. Buying professional-grade stainless steel ones might be more expensive initially, but you will likely never have to replace them in your lifetime. Utensils are an area where small actions lead to big results.

Cook in bulk

Preparing your food in bulk and freezing it in portions not only uses less energy because you do not have to use the stove every day, but it also saves time. You can prepare all of your meals for the week, and they only need to be reheated when you need them. This also means that you can buy in bulk, which helps you save the other type of green. You can spend your time throughout the week doing something that you love instead of cooking every night.

Natural Cleaning Products

Cleaning products are some of the most toxic substances that we use around our homes. Many of them contain petrochemicals, including dishwashing detergents, floor cleaners, and general-purpose cleaning products. Fortunately, there are some eco-friendly, non-toxic ways that you can clean your home that leave it smelling fresh. Some items that you can use for natural cleaning products are:

• Lemons
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Homemade orange cleaner

Many of these items are things that you probably already have around the house, and they cost much less than cleaning products from the store. Best of all, you do not have to worry about them around children or pets.

These are a few of our best tips for making your home more eco-friendly. You do not have to do all of them at once. Every little thing you do helps the environment. Try starting with one small change and then adding others over time. Your kitchen is a place to gather for healthy food and good conversation, and now, you can feel good about it from the point of sustainability, too.