Nothing like watching your little ones grow to put into perspective the responsibility we have for taking care of the planet we are leaving for the next generation and choosing home products that are healthy for our families. So at the beginning of this year, I started taking a harder look at our everyday routine to try to make it more sustainable.
In honor of Earth Day, I'm sharing some easy, planet friendly kitchen swaps we've made as we're working towards being less wasteful in our everyday kitchen routine. Eventually, I'd love for us to be zero waste, but to start we're taking small, attainable steps. I read a quote somewhere recently that was to the effect of " We need alot of people doing (zero waste) poorly, than only a few people doing it perfectly." I love this quote because it's basically saying, do your best and do what you can-you don't have to feel guilty about not doing it perfectly!
Reduce Paper Towel Use with Un-Paper Towels
In an effort to really cut down our paper towel use, we use these bamboo cloths for nearly everything. They're more absorbent than cotton, dry SUPER fast, and are mildew resistant/antimicrobial so they don't stink up your kitchen. They're machine washable, though they due shrink a little bit on the first wash. In the zero waste world, I think they call these un-paper towels, but we just think of them as the smartest dishcloths.
Paper Towels Made of Rapidly Renewable Materials
On the occasion we do need paper towels, I'm using tree-free paper towels, made of bamboo which is much faster growing than hardwoods and are biodegradable so they can go in with the compost. They're, of course, more expensive, but we use far less of them now, so the cost equals out.
Sign-up for Organics Recycling in Your Area
I honestly don't know what took me so long to sign-up. Being a duplex, we already have 2 garbage bins and a recycling bin in our tiny little Minneapolis alley driveway, and Ken wasn't sure if an organics bin would fit too. Luckily, the organic bins are a bit smaller, and it just fits. In Minneapolis, if you're already signed up for trash/recycling, organics pick-up is no extra charge. If you're in Minneapolis and learning more, here's the organics site.
Along with beginning to compost, we've needed a spot to collect food scraps until we can take it out every few days. My parents have been composting for years, and they simply use a dedicated bowl sitting on the counter. We needed something with a lid to keep it away from Gideon, the-people-food-hungry-cat. I love the look of this copper plated compost bin we have. It's 10″ x 7″ and is small enough to fit on the counter. It's dishwasher safe, and uses charcoal filters to help deaden the compost scent until we can take it out. Jojotastic has an awesome post about what elements to look for when selecting a compost bin. It's a good read if you're looking for one.
Use Compostable Trash Bags For Everyday Trash
I recently read that conventional plastic bags take up to 1000 years to degrade, so they'll still be sitting in the landfill well into the next century. And the trash inside won't biodegrade either. We use compostable trash bags for our everyday trash. They're a little more expensive, than plastic bags, but I think it's worth it if you can swing it. We don't use compostable liners in the compost bin, as the bin is dishwasher save, so we just run it through the dishwasher each time we empty it.
Reusable Produce Bags + Grocery Bags
We're all familiar with re-useable grocery bags (I keep them in my purse, so they're always on hand), but what about reusable bags for produce? Inevitably we pick up herbs, lettuce, broccoli, etc., that I like to put in a bag before adding it the cart, and in an effort not to use plastic, I've included a few reusable muslin bags in with the grocery bags in my purse. The Faux Martha has a great post on how to shop the grocery store more sustainably, particularly when it comes to the bulk section, if you're interested in reading more.
There you have it. Easy swaps to help out Mother Earth! Do you have more easy swaps for everyone? Leave them in comments!
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