Five earth-friendly (and joy-sparking) kitchen actions
Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. What better place to start making a difference than in our kitchens. Yes, there are some big (perhaps overwhelming) changes you can make to reduce your carbon footprint or save the world’s coral reef. Eat less red meat and dairy products. Buy local and in season. Stop using plastic bags and plastic straws that end up in our oceans. Use energy-efficient appliances. Reduce food waste.
While we should strive to do all these things, there are also a number of actions that offer an easier place to start and have the added benefit of sparking joy Marie Kondo style.
Here are five easy (and attractive) kitchen “to-dos” that don’t harm the earth:
Save the Cheese! Seriously, your cheese will be able to breath and will last longer than if stored in plastic wrap or a bag. Formaticum promises to help save your cheese or these from Murray’s Cheese are the ones currently in my pantry.
Dress-up Your Produce! There are many beautiful storage options that don’t involve plastic baggies. A couple of my favorites that create a smile:
Stasher bags offers reusable, non-toxic, microwave safe (sous vide anyone?) alternatives in several sizes. It may feel like a splurge, but how about this Tropical Mix? So pretty. A small portion (1%) of all Tropical Collection sales will be donated to the Coral Reef Alliance.
100% cotton produce bags are available everywhere. I actually have a version of the All Good Things sold by Anthropologie. Recently I came across this Colony Co. Six-Pack Assorted Reusable Produce and Bulk Food Bags, which I like because some of the bags are netted. I like the idea of bags that somehow identify what’s inside. That way you can see what you have in the fridge at a glance and quickly grab what you’re after. Added bonus: nothing rots away unknowingly in the back of your fridge.
Wash Dishes with a Swede! And put a little Lagom (pronounced lah-gom) in your dishwashing! I converted to Swedish dishcloths years ago. I confess it was more about the cute prints. (I can’t really get away from paper towels, but at least paper towels are compostable.) I pick up these cloths whenever I’m out and about, even on vacation when one strikes my fancy. Sweetgum Home has a nice selection, some original designs and some from More Joy (wait, I just realized these are from Finland!) Okay, so wash your dishes with a Fin. You can put these in the dishwasher or the washing machine. But then today I received an email from one of my favorite companies Food52 touting a set of compostable sponge cloths. Okay, they are really Swedish dishcloths, maybe not as pretty or creative as other designs, but less expensive as a set.
Slurp through a (Reusable) Straw! Options for reusable straws include stainless steel, glass, silicone, bamboo, all in multiple colors; and collapsible versions are available for storing in your pocket or purse. Reviewed.com tested 15 straws and ranked FinalStraw as #1 on THE BEST REUSABLE STRAWS OF 2020 list. Hey it’s collapsible, stainless steel and comes with a portable keychain case – in your choice of colors! What’s not to love?
Compost Baby! I think we all would be better composters if we have a pretty compost bin. I used to have one under my sink but it got so nasty, we got rid of it ... and that was the end of our composting days. Now I feel guilty ever time I put veggie trimmings or eggshells in the trash. Pretty sure one of these would get me back on track: I’ve been eyeing this Bamboozle Compost Bin, and oh my, if you have enough counter space, the Magnolia Wood Sustainable Countertop Compost Bin melts my heart.
