17 Dec Your Kitchen Rules: 5 Eco-friendly Items to Create a Greener Home

The biggest misconception about going green is that it is difficult. I’ve had a lot of frustrating conversations with defeatist friends and family who’ve decided to make the change is too much trouble. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is are these five additions easy to achieve but the difference on your weekly pocket spend is not even noticeable – add these eco-friendly items to add to your kitchen and countertop.  

It was the Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, who said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The same can be said for adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle. Start by replacing a single item or appliance in one room. Before you know it, your entire home and office will be a haven of earth friendliness that you can be proud of.

Being a lifestyle writer, I spend a lot of time in my own and other people’s kitchens. I can tell you that the room where people prepare food can be the most wasteful space of them all if you’re not careful. When you consider the single-use plastic, easily compostable food scraps, cleaning products, storage containers and so on, that go through a scullery, the possibility to either help or harm the planet will make your head spin.

If you have any of the following kit in your kitchen, you’re well on your way to having an earth-conscious space. 

ECO FLOW NEEDLE SPRAY

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R47, years of use.

If you’ve kept up with the news, you’ll know that while Cape Town managed to avoid Day Zero, the entire country is still teetering towards a great water depletion. We can’t continue to use water as wastefully as we have done in the past. Fix this nozzle to your faucet and you stand to save up to 80% of H2O every single time you open the tap.

CHARCOAL WATER FILTER KOINS

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R165 per box, 4 koins per box, lasting up to three months each.

Since we’re on the subject of water, one of the main reasons we buy it bottled is because it gives us the assurance that the water is clean, and the Ph Balance is low. While this may not help those who prefer drinking sparkling water to still, popping a few of these charcoal discs into your distilled water will purify it. Each koin can be used for up to three months, and protects you against all sorts of bacteria like e.Coli, and harmful chemicals like chlorine, lead & mercury.

BREAD BAG

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R60, machine-washable, lasts a lifetime.

You’re buying your bread from the farmers market, which means that you’re supporting small business owners, and you’re minimising your carbon footprint buying locally. Good on you! It would be a shame if your efforts were sullied by having to slide your fresh loaf into a film of single-use plastic. This unbleached calico drawstring bag is guaranteed to keep your bread fresh without compromising the planet.

COFFEE FILTERS

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100 filters for R45.

The world would be very depresso, if we didn’t have espresso. If You Care make wonderful coffee filters that are 100% unbleached (chlorine-free) and plastic-free. They’re particularly special because while they won’t harm the environment by laying in landfills for decades to come, they won’t compromise the quality and integrity of your coffee either. You needn’t worry about the packaging. These guys have pushed the boat out to ensure that you can recycle the box your filters come in. Everything can be popped into your compost bin when you’re done with it.

BIODEGRADABLE BIN BAGS

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10 bags for R36.

The planet’s collective waste is unacceptable. We are weighing down the earth with all our trash, and if we aren’t careful, there will be catastrophic consequences for our irresponsibility. We need to desperately reconsider what we are getting rid of, but how we are getting rid of it is of equal importance. 

Let’s all purchase biodegradable bin bags. I’ll say it again because this is important: LET’S ALL PURCHASE BIODEGRADABLE BIN BAGS! It seems silly that some of us are painstaking about separating out garbage for the bin men when we’re shoving it into plastic trash bags. Isn’t it oxy-moronic?

This PLA product is fully biodegradable under ideal conditions – they’ll break down completely within 45 days. If they end up in a landfill, it might take a little longer, but it won’t be much.

Everything Matters – The Truth About Sustainability

Keep Endangered Wildlife Off The Shopping List

The Green Goddess Guide to Creating an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

REFERENCES: 

https://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-in-the-kitchen.htmlhttps://www.hgtv.com/design-blog/design/make-your-kitchen-greenerhttps://greenerideal.com/guides/an-environmentally-friendly-kitchen/