Simple Swaps For a More Sustainable Kitchen
Welcome to my tiny kitchen! My San Francisco tiny apartment is drastically different than my previous, newer digs in Portland. But, I guess that is the charm of living in an older builder as opposed to a new high rise. Since moving in, it's been a challenge getting this charming spot organized with very minimal storage. One thing that remains the same is my sustainable kitchen swaps. Some of my fave kitchen swaps that you can also implement in your household:⠀
Glass Tupperware: Swapping plastic containers for glass tubberware ones is a great first step towards a more sustainable kitchen.
Reusing glass containers: A great way to repurpose glass jars. I've been using my weck jars, canning jars and most recently my Methodology jars.
Reusable Travel Mug: sustainability shouldn’t stop within your home. by brining a reusable mug like Keep Cup, you can use it while you’re out to get your coffee, smoothies, etc. I personally love Keep Cup’s 16 oz tumbler because it works great as a normal cup on the go.
Compost: This is an important one, so listen up! Food scraps that end up in the landfill release methane (a greenhouse gas thirty times more potent than carbon dioxide) accelerating global warming. Here’s the good news: You can compost no matter where you live. San Francisco (where I currently live) has a city-wide mandatory composting law. So, for myself, I have a compost bin in my kitchen and bathroom. Once full, I dispose of them in my apartment buildings green compost bin.
Biodegradable Sponges: Skip the crazy colors and opt for undyed, biodegradable sponges that you can compost when they finally bite the dust.
Dish Towels: Anything a paper towel can do, a cloth dish towel can do better. Favor dark-colored dishtowels that won’t show stains so you’ll keep them around longer.
Homemade Multi-Surface Cleaner: I've been using Branch Basics. It’s non-toxic (have you read the ingredients list on a bottle of household cleaner lately!?). Plus, making your own is cheaper & reduces plastic waste.
Beeswarap: Eliminating plastic wrap from your kitchen is a great way to create a more sustainable kitchen. Instead of plastic wrap, try Beeswrap. It is made from all-natural materials, is totally non-toxic, and is reusable. I use mine to cover bowls of cookie dough and to wrap up produce. When your Beeswrap finally stops working, compost it.
Stasher Bags: A great alternative to ziplocks & plastic sandwich bags. I also use my Stasher Bags to free fruit and veggies for smoothies.
Buy in Bulk: a great way to reduce waste & save money.
