Composting

Green Kitchens are Happy Kitchens

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The kitchen is a great place to start going green because traditionally a kitchen is capable of gobbling resources faster than you can say “carbon footprint”. Start with energy star rated appliances, use the light of the sun more than the switch, eat fresh and raw and compost the scraps. That is just a start. Read on if you are ready to go green in the kitchen.

Author: Hillary Marshak

The NoteBaert Nature Museum hosts a multi-level Extreme Green House, inhabited by the fictitious and wacky Green family, who shows you how to be “green” in your bathroom, your basement, your dining room, and of course (the reason why we’re here)…your kitchen.

Demonstrating landfill capacities, and displaying live rotting meals, museum experts offered loads of information from the simple recycling tip, to the science of composting. They showed us what bacterias were good and bad for us, as well as what cleaning products are more eco-friendly than others. They even sold a kit for making your very own cleaning products.

Want to make your own green cleaning products? It is not only an eco friendly choice, but an economical and safer choice as well. Skip the toxic blue window cleaner. Mix white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Trust me, it cleans better and costs pennies. Sprinkle salt on a lemon half to scrub your counters. Make your own soft scrub by cleaning your sinks with baking soda. You will learn that you can clean just about anything in your kitchen with salt, vinegar and baking soda.

I didn’t have the time to take in all of the Green family’s great tips, but I was inspired to do more research about how one could consciously maintain a greener kitchen. From the simple tip, to more structural tips, here is what I found:

1. Induction cooktops - Heat is released directly toward the pan or pot only. Not only does this save a great deal of energy, but the rest of the stovetop isn’t hot.

“Induction cooking is one of many advances made in home cooking. With induction cooking, surfaces stay cool while the food gets warm or hot. It uses magnetic friction to deliver heat through coils to the pots or pans on the surface. This prevents the ceramic surface from becoming hot, which prevents burns.” www.eei.org

2. Countertops made from recyclables - Supposedly sleek, these suckers would make for the truest green kitchen out there.

3. Use recyclable products AND recycle them - I am a hypocrite sitting in an office that uses styrofoam cups and plates, but I know that we should use paper so that it can be recycled. Go out of your way to purchase recyclable products, and make it your mission to recycle them! All paper can be recycled…even paper towels! If you buy biodegradable products you can add them directly to your compost bin and do your own recycling.

4. Water conservation - Never walk away while the faucet is on. Even if it’s just for a second, it’s not like electricity where it costs more to turn it on and off. It costs more to leave it running! Even though we’re not always savvy to this fact, we really do need to conserve water in this country.

The little things really do make a difference. Shop locally. Seek out organic, sustainable and fair trade items not only for your refrigerator and pantry but also for your housewares and kitchen decor. Find more tips on creating a green kitchen at www.eei.org.

Buy the Book: Good Green Kitchens

About the author:
Hillary Marshak is an editor at Recipe4Living.com where she enjoys reading and writing all about food! She loves trying out new recipes and thinks that everyone out there should be adventurous with their food! Among her favorite cuisine is Japanese. She also writes entries for the “Chew on That” blog to be read at http://chewonthatblog.com. Check it out!

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