Earth Week Tips: Low-waste Kitchen
Part I: Sustainability in the Kitchen
This week is Earth Week 2020! It’s looking a bit different than the Earth Weeks we’ve had in the past because we’re all staying indoors. Because of current state that our society is in, I’ve also found it more challenging to be plastic-free in certain areas that I was refusing plastic and also not being able to use reusables where I could previously. If you’ve felt discouraged by this, I hope these posts encourage you to continue pressing on and just doing what you can!
I’ve always found that Earth Month is a great way time to encourage people and get people thinking about how to live more sustainably and take care of our planet. Although we’re staying home this week, I wanted to share some of my favourite swaps and sustainability tips in 3 different areas of our life and home…starting off with the kitchen!
If you take a step back and consider your own kitchen, how much waste do you create? For me, the kitchen was one of the most wasteful areas in my home, so even making a few changes has helped me reduce significant waste.
Zero Waste Swaps: Kitchen
Here are some of my favourite kitchen swaps.
Beeswax Wraps
Beeswax wraps were a swap that I had heard of early on when I first started learning about sustainability and looking into different swaps I could make. They are an excellent swap for traditional plastic cling wrap. I’ve gone 2+ years without cling wrap now and can tell you that you really don’t need it. Beeswax wraps are great for reducing food waste and preserving your food so that it lasts longer.
I typically use the wraps directly on my produce or over bowls to store leftovers. You use the warmth from your hands to mold the wrap over whatever you are covering and then pop it into the fridge — works like a charm!
Things I recommend:
Reusable Silicone Bags
Next up — reusable silicone bags. I believe these were the first sustainable swap I had ever purchased. They are a swap for plastic sandwich bags and can be used the same way. I personally use them for freezing things, storing leftovers, and for on-the-go snacks.
My personal favourite are Stasher Bags, because they are made of 100% pure platinum grade silicone, a standard even higher than food grade silicone. This standard passes all U.S. safety requirements and European standards. They are extremely durable and have lasted me for 2+ years. They are also a certified B-corp, which means that their factories and suppliers must maintain very good and responsible practices.
With the rise and “trendiness” of sustainability, sometimes the rush to make sustainable swaps can be even more harmful. I bring this up because, particularly with reusable silicone bags, I see a lot of cheap alternatives that are being sold everywhere, and while I think it’s great that everyone is wanting to make more sustainable changes, I think it’s also important, when making these swaps, to consider the product carefully. What is it made of, how was it made, and what are the conditions these products were made in?
Things I recommend:
Compostable Brush/Sponge
Many sponges these days are made of synthetic material, which means that they can’t be composted. A simple swap for this is to switch to natural, compostable sponges or try a compostable dish brush.
There are a variety of options out there, like pot brushes with a wooden handle and natural fibre bristles, there are coconut scrubbers and also natural plant-based loofahs. Choose one that best fits to your liking and make your swap!
Things I recommend:
Compostable Sponges
Refillable Dish Detergent/Dish Washing Block
This is one that I’d say I’m still in the process of experimenting with. Currently I use a solution of Castile soap and water to wash my dishes, which my husband and I have been doing for a few years now. The only complaint we have with this is that sometimes it’s a bit too liquid-y and is not as grease-cutting as we would like it to be. So now, I’m currently exploring other options like using a refillable dish detergent from companies like Unscented Co. or Public Goods. Another plastic-free option is a dish washing block, which I find fascinating, but it may require a bit of convincing in my household.
Things I recommend:
Refillable Dish Detergent: Unscented Co., Public Goods (you can get 15% off your Public Goods order with the code CANDICEPGA)
Dish Washing Block: No Tox Life
Making my dishwashing solution of 1 part Castile soap to 10 parts water — so simple and quick!
Old Rags & Swedish Dish Cloths
This swap can be a simple upcycling project or you can spice up your kitchen with some cute Swedish dish cloths. These are a great swap for paper towel in your home to wipe up spills and quickly clean up countertops.
If you’re wondering, “what about paper towel for food preparation”, as many people use paper towel to dry off meat or fish before cooking it. This is something that I’ve been thinking of and currently don’t have a “swap” for, but I think, if you really have a need for paper towel in your life, just be more mindful about what brand you purchase from and how much of it you purchase and what the paper towels are made of. Maybe choose something that contains recycled or post-consumer content. And even if you simply reduced the amount of paper towels you use, is already a great step towards reducing your waste.
Things I recommend:
Swedish Dish Cloths: Ten and Co
Paper Towel: Seventh Generation
Look how absorbent this cloth is!
Sustainable Habits in the Kitchen
Now that we’ve talked about the swaps, let’s consider a few things (that don’t cost a thing) to keep in mind and be a little more sustainable in the kitchen.
Food Waste
First, food waste. Did you know in Canada, more than a third of food produced and distributed never gets eaten?* Food waste in the home is actually a huge environmental issue and can be reduced at the consumer level with a few changes.
To reduce food waste:
Make a list, and buy only what you need
Learn how to properly store food to prolong its life
Eat those leftovers!
Reuse food scraps
*National Zero Waste Council, 2018. A Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada.
Upcycling
The kitchen is a wonderful place to upcycle. My favourite things to upcycle in the kitchen are old jars and containers. You simply clean them out with hot soapy water and reuse them! They make pretty vases for plants, they can be restored into a DIY candle, and they can simply be used for more food storage. Take things like old t-shirts and cut them up into small squares to use as rags.
Garbage/Recycling/Compost
Learning to properly dispose of, compost, and recycle things at the end of its life is really important. As I started to learn more about sustainability, there were so many things that I thought were recyclable or compostable that actually are not. Not recycling or composting properly can often contaminate an entire batch of recyclables or compost material, so that’s why it’s important to learn how to recycle and compost properly. Check out your local city’s guide on recycling or composting. There are often great resources on what goes where and how to properly do these procedures.
As you can see, by simply taking a look at the kitchen, there are already so many changes we can take on to be more sustainable. Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t feel the need to tackle everything all at once. Pick one and start from there.
And as always, I'd love to hear from you and your kitchens! What kind of swaps have you made? What are your best sustainable kitchen tips?
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