15 Aug The Green Goddess Guide to Creating an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

It is often said that from dust we came, and to dust we shall return. We are all creatures from Mother Nature. It only seems fitting, then, that we work to honour and preserve her the best way we can. As women, we have a more intimate connection to the planet- she boasts the miracle of life, and we have the ability to do similar by giving birth to children. So by celebrating Earth, we celebrate an entity not much different to ours.

There are many ways of doing this. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing how every Green Goddess can do her bit to protect our big blue marble in fashion, cosmetics and makeup, camping and adventures, as well as cooking.

INVEST IN ECO-FRIENDLY APPLIANCES & PRODUCTS

Energy-efficient appliances might be an initial expense. When you consider that your electricity bill will be notably lower in the future and that you’re contributing to the preservation of the Earth, though, the investment begins to seem worth it. Flow-regulating taps are a great place to start. An adjustable aerator reduces your water usage by 90%.

GROW WHAT YOU CAN, LOCALLY SOURCE WHAT YOU CAN’T

One of the most eco-friendly things you can do is keep all your food sourcing local or in-house. Not only is your produce fresher and probably GMO-free, but, because it doesn’t have to travel cross country or continent to get to you, you are reducing your carbon footprint. The benefits of buying local are endless. Growing your own fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices is also rewarding. If you have a big yard, you could probably cultivate a whole range of leafy greens as they are the simplest to grow. Apartments are a little tight so you can green your fingers with a kitchen garden.

COMPOST FOOD SCRAPS

This is a cost-effective, environmentally responsible substitute to buying compost for your garden or potager. Organic compost is as easy to make as purchasing a food waste recycling bin, chucking your fruit and veggie peels inside and waiting for them to decompose naturally. If you want to save pennies, any airtight containers will do.
Tip: Set the rotting produce package in the sun if you want to speed up the process of decomposition.

COOK IN BULK

Reduce your electricity usage by cooking larger portions that you can warm up and enjoy over a few days. Soups, curries, casseroles and pasta dishes lend themselves well to this because you can easily freeze them for days or weeks at a time. Want to save on energy while cooking in bulk? The Wonderbag is probably one of the most underrated, incredible products in this area.

REPLACE ALL FOIL, CLING FILM AND POLYSTYRENE

As a rule, steer away from products that you can only use once before you have to scrap them – I think we all know enough about single-use by now. Purchasing quality containers like Tupperware is far friendlier on the environment. Though they are made of plastic, you can bestow them on friends and family who will also pay it forward in the future.
Stay as far away from single-use plastic as possible because it is, quite literally, immortal (and not the cool kind like Twilight). If you must reach for foil, reuse it as a scour for your pots and pans. I’ve found that you can also use it to sharpen scissors and garden shears by folding a sheet a few times and cutting the foil with them.

NO MORE JUNK (FOOD) IN THE TRUNK

If you want a healthy planet, you need to consider adopting a healthier lifestyle. Unpopular opinion perhaps, but statics show that if we all got on board with #MeatFreeMonday, the carbon dioxide reduction equate to removing over 5 million cars from the road. Snacking on fruit instead of a packet of crisps or candy cuts on energy used to manufacture and package the product, transport it from the factory to the shops and eventually recycle it. So if you must have a cheat day, limit it to once a week or make a decadent meal from scratch instead of driving through McDonalds.

So you see, being more eco-friendly is extremely easy. Embrace your inner green goddess and honour Mother Nature through your food choices.