Solar power in the U.S. offsets over 100 million metric tons of CO2 yearly, which is just one reason why homeowners are growing increasingly interested in renewable energies. Going green also enables households to make significant cost savings, with the average home saving up to $30,000 over the lifetime of their solar panel system. Of course, renewable energies are just one of many strategies homeowners can take. Transforming energy-reliant spaces such as kitchens into eco-friendly ones is a matter of making many changes—both small and large. Some can take years to effect while others can be achieved almost immediately.
Using Eco-Friendly Accessories
One small but powerful change you can make involves giving single-use plastics and other materials that can harm the environment a miss. Instead of plastic bottles, for instance, buy your entire family’s bamboo flasks and/or coffee cups. These will keep your beverages cool or hot and will last indefinitely. If you will be celebrating a kids’ party at home, don’t serve guests plastic cutlery. Instead, appeal to their sense of sight and touch with eco-friendly bamboo cutlery. Serve bamboo drinking straws, too, as these are zero-waste products.
Saving Energy When Preparing Family Meals
A sustainable kitchen isn’t just one that has energy-saving appliances. It is also one that is run efficiently, with minimum wastage of resources. If you are on a special nutritional regime (the Keto and other low carb diets are popular these days), then pre-planning is key. For instance, you can prepare batches of diet friendly family favorites such as meat sauce, serving the same item with pasta for non-Keto diners and with spiralized zucchini for low-carb eaters. You can also prepare a few low-carb meals for the whole family, serving them alongside bread or other traditional sides other family members prefer. Strategizing your meal preparation plan will enable you to avoid cooking completely different meals for everyone in the family.
Replacing Old Appliances
This is arguably one of the most expensive investments involved in setting up a green kitchen and something that does not have to be achieved all at once. You may decide to keep old appliances that run well, replacing only those items which are no longer performing optimally. Investing in Energy Star appliances whenever you can is a great investment because they save you up to 50% of the energy required. Just a few brands that have Energy Star equipment are Samsung, LG, Miele, Blomberg, Beko, and Insignia.
A Big Renovation
Some people—including celebrities like Julia Louis Dreyfuss—make a decision to completely renovate their homes into sustainable havens. If you have the budget for a big reform, then consider using eco-friendly materials like bamboo or steel for your countertops. For your flooring, you can choose sustainable hardwood, reclaimed wood, cork, natural linoleum, or terrazzo flooring made with no-VOC sealers. You can also invest in smart lighting, which will automatically turn off if you are not in the kitchen.
Sustainability is the buzzword in home design. To set up a green kitchen, you don’t need to break the bank. Start out by buying a few sustainable accessories and eventually aim to rely on Energy Star appliances and on purely renewable energy, to help reduce the impact of climate change.
Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash.
