Kitchen: Eco-Friendly Checklist

Plastic wrap for food is not only a nightmare to use without it getting stuck, torn, and tangled - it's wasteful! Reusable wax based food wraps are easier to use and can be used again and again.

A decent dish scrubber doesn't need to be anything fancy if you use the right natural cleaning agents - and they definitely don't need to be plastic! So many commonly available products create microplastics that make their way into our oceans and landfills.

If we're trying to be more conscious of the waste we produce, it wouldn't make sense to wrap it all in plastic, would it? So many households discard plastic (often recyclable) items, wrap them in a plastic bag, and send it off to a landfill. Switching to durable, compostable trash bags can assist in the decomposition of discarded items and avoid additional unnecessary plastic waste.

Investing in creating your own home composting process can be very rewarding in addition to more intentionally disposing of different waste types. Especially if you're a gardener, home composting food scraps and other compostable items is a great option.

Getting the most out of each load of dishes you run through the dishwasher can ensure you get the most accomplished for the water and energy you use - since the same amount of resources are used whether you wash a full load or a single dish.

Running water when you're soaping up and scrubbing the dishes is not necessary. Try to organize your sink setup to where you are able to scrub the dishes, then turn on the water to rinse, allowing you to minimize the time your water is running.

Finding a reusable alternative for paper towels can be significant, especially if you live in a household with little ones creating little messes! These can often go right into the dishwasher or laundry for super easy cleaning.

According to the Consumer Energy Center, cleaning refrigerator coils can result in up to a 30% reduction in energy that your fridge uses. (1) Not only that, but you'll save money too - an average of 11% energy cost savings (2).

There are many options when it comes to dish soap: soap-handle sponges, chemical packed liquid gel bottles, soap powders, etc. Most of these options are full of plastic waste and unnecessary chemicals. Just a classic soap bar does the trick, creates no plastic waste, and often lasts longer.

Shifting to reusable and washable glass storage containers like baking trays and sealed jars can reduce our reliance on limited-use or single-use plastic storage methods.

Hot beverages like coffee or tea is an essential part of billions of people's morning and/or evening routines. Wasteful plastic or plastic-lined cups, single-use coffee pods, and plastic wrapped tea bags are all awful for the planet. Just think of a few cups per day, times billions of people over the course of a year. That's a LOT of non-biodegradable waste.

Many people don't know how many things simple ingredients like vinegar and baking soda can be used for! These powerful cleaners can be used for just about anything. They're far cheaper than mass-produced cleaning supplies, are more natural and free from harmful chemicals, and easy to find in plastic-free packaging.

If your fridge is very old, you could see upwards of 50% or even 70% energy savings in some cases by upgrading to a newer energy efficient refrigerator. This can be more costly up front, but will also save you significantly on energy cost compared to an older, inefficient fridge.

Home appliances like dishwashers have come a long way in terms of efficiency gains. By upgrading to a modern, Energy Star certified dishwasher, you can enjoy significant savings in energy and water consumption.