Household: 9 Sustainable Kitchen Swaps

"The kitchen is the heart of the home for most of us, which means it’s also where we create most of our waste and mess, especially if, like me, you have young children or pets. In today’s post we’ll explore 10 items you can use around the kitchen to help you reduce your impact, create less waste and overall, start to live more sustainably."

Ditch the paper towel and wet wipes, and instead opt for fabric napkins which can re-used again and again. They’ll also look so much prettier in your kitchen! Once mucky, pop them in the washing machine and they’ll come out good as new, ready to go again. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even make your own using offcuts from fabric.

Single use cling film and aluminium foil, both made from non renewable, energy-intensive resources, is a no no. Whilst tin foil can and should be recycled, clingfilm is typically made from low-density polyethylene and has to go in every day domestic waste which will then go to landfill or incineration. Try using beeswax wraps (which are also pretty simple to make) or even just an upturned plate will do the job perfectly!

Consider wooden pot brushes and coconut fibre wash pads which are really durable and are also biodegradable. Alternatively, try washable sponges and scrubbers that are dishwasher and washing machine safe and won’t need replacing time and time again.

For a more ‘conscious’ cuppa in the morning, why not give tea bags and coffee capsules/pods a miss and instead opt for the loose option. French press or cafetiere coffee tastes so delicious with the added advantage that you can compost your used coffee granules or better still, make a DIY face mask out of. For the tea lovers, try using an infuser with some loose tea.

It might be time to say goodbye to plastic bottles of washing up liquid or at least, to consider buying bulk or from brands that offer refills. Solid dish soap does the job just as well, and is totally zero waste.

Shop bought cleaners contain so many nasty chemicals so instead try making some yourself using a combination of 50/50 water and vinegar. You can infuse the vinegar with old orange and lemon peels to add a lovely citrus scent.

Save your fruit and vegetable scraps – perhaps your council offers food waste collection or even better, make your own compost heap in the garden.

Jars are your friend here! There’s no need to opt for more plastic tupperware – instead save up your old jam jars which make the perfect solution to store your food in.

Choose cardboard packaged dishwasher powder, tablets that are wrapped in water soluble wrapper and detergent that can be bought in bulk. There are so many alternatives to plastic wrapped tablets.

I hope you find these swaps useful and that they go towards making your kitchen a slightly less low-density and non-renewable more environmentally friendly place.

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