The Green Kitchen Trend that has Nothing to Do with Colour

Green kitchens have become a popular trend in the world of interior design over the past few years. From calming sage and bold emerald to lime green or mint, different shades of green have entered the kitchen, helping homeowners and designers bring a bit of nature indoors and create stylish interiors. But if you want to get closer to nature, it's time you embrace a different kind of green trend that has nothing to do with colour but everything to do with sustainability.

We all know that pollution and global warming are on the rise, and the environment is suffering tremendously due to the damage caused by human activity. And although most of us are no experts on environmental issues, there's a lot we can do to protect the planet, and some of these efforts can start in the kitchen.

Creating a greener kitchen can make it easier for you to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle and reduce your carbon footprint significantly. And the good news is you don't have to plan a major overhaul of your kitchen to achieve that. What you need to do is focus on the changes that have the biggest impact on reducing emissions in the long run and learn about the most effective eco-friendly practices that can help you greenify your kitchen. So, here are a few tips that you might find helpful as you set out on your green journey.

Choose the right appliances

For most of us, the kitchen represents the centre of the home. It's not just a space where you cook and eat your meals but also the go-to place for social gatherings, where you hang out with friends or family and spend a large part of your time. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that kitchens also use the most energy in a home, and as you may know, high energy consumption has a negative impact on the environment.

Therefore, the best way to reduce energy usage in the kitchen is to invest in energy-efficient equipment. So, if the time has come for you to replace an old kitchen appliance, make sure you choose one that's environmentally friendly, especially when it comes to large consumers like refrigerators, cooking stoves, ovens, or dishwashers. When comparing different models, it's important to look for the energy rating label and select the right size appliance in order to make a smart, eco-friendly purchase.

Practice sustainable cooking

Whether your cooking skills are Masterchef level or you're only e rookie when it comes to preparing meals, creating an eco-friendly kitchen often starts with evaluating your cooking practices and making sure they align with your sustainability goals. So, how do you become a green cook?

The first aspect you need to consider is the ingredients you use to prepare your meals. Purchasing your products from local suppliers is a lot better than having them shipped from a distant location. Make sure you use all the ingredients in your kitchen before purchasing more, and only cook as much food as you need in order to avoid waste. Using food that you already have in your kitchen and cooking from scratch is also preferable to buying pre-made or frozen meals.

Invest in quality kitchen fittings

Being one of the most used rooms in the house, kitchens and everything inside them are subjected to a lot of wear and tear. Cabinets around the sinks and those that are close to a heat source are especially exposed to damage and deterioration. That's why it's necessary to treat your kitchen fittings with care if you want to extend their lifespan and keep them in top shape for longer. And when you do need to ditch your old kitchen furniture, make sure you invest in quality pieces from reputable providers such as kitchenwarehouseltd.com. Also, if your kitchen furniture still looks fairly good, you should only replace the parts that are not salvageable and refurbish the rest.

The same principle applies when buying cookware. Whether we're talking pots, pans or cutlery, try to choose sturdy kitchen utensils that can stand the test of time and don't require frequent replacing. Although this might imply a bigger initial investment, you'll be getting your money's worth by using these tools for years on end and protecting the environment.

Reuse and recycle

A lot amount of household waste comes from the kitchen. Most of it comes from food scraps and food packaging, but a lot of waste is also generated by regular kitchen remodels and renovations. Buying fresh produce can help tackle the excessive packaging issue while using leftovers to prepare meals could help you reduce food waste. Biodegradable kitchen waste can be used to make compost and support your gardening endeavours if you are lucky enough to have a patch of land where you can grow your own veggies.

As for waste generated by remodelling and renovating, you can always take furniture pieces and other items that you want to get rid of to a recycling centre. And since we're talking recycling, you should also use a kitchen bin with more sections to help you sort recyclable materials, so you can limit the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

Use green cleaning products

Kitchens can gather a lot of dirt and debris, so it's important to give them a deep clean every now and then. But when doing so, make sure you use green cleaning products. A lot of the substances used to clean different kitchen surfaces contain a wide range of chemicals that are harmful to the environment, so you might want to swap them with eco-friendly alternatives. You can even make your own cleaning products from scratch using natural ingredients, and the best part about it is they're just as efficient as the ones you buy from the store, minus the nasty effects.

Turing your average kitchen into a sustainable space is not as difficult as you might think. All it takes is a bit of research, practice and commitment to take the green route in your kitchen and in your life.