Adapted from an article by Shahar Shilaoh
Translation by Yasmine Ariel.jpg)
Into The Kitchen
The saying that “the kitchen is the heart of the home” may be a cliché but is also very true. Through cooking and food we nourish ourselves and in many homes the kitchen is a place where family and friends gather together.
And so in thinking about the environment I am naturally drawn to understanding how we can make our kitchens eco friendly.
Everything Starts With Awareness
There is a clear connection between what is healthy for the environment and what is healthy for us. That connection is simpler to understand from the negative perspective: products that are harmful for the human body also harm the earth.
For example, as junk and processed food give us unwanted calories, preservatives, chemicals, fat and more, so the earth has to deal with plastic and aluminum packaging, toxic gases released during manufacturing and distribution, as well as deforestation.
When we buy, for example, a ready made meal in a plastic box, our bodies, wallets and the environment pay much more than if we had just bought the ingredients and made that meal ourselves.
The decision to make your kitchen greener will inform your decision to eat healthier and vica versa.
Here are a few tips that I have for being more eco friendly in your food shopping and in your kitchen.
Smart Shopping
Our shopping habits have an enormous influence on the environment. Even those among us that don’t see shopping as a form of recreation, cannot avoid buying food. So, how do you minimize the damage?
Say No To Bags
These days it is not a problem to acquire baskets that replace plastic bags. You just have to remember to take them when you go shopping. The cashier will agree to weigh your tomatoes and apples even if they are not in nylon.
And what do you do with the little bags of nuts and beans sold in bulk? Next time you empty the bag into a jar, save the bag in your shopping basket for later reuse.
And if you start producing compost in the yard, in a prefabricated container, hole, or pile that you tend yourself; as most of your organic waste ends up there you will discover that you save many garbage bags.
Buying Close To Home
They say organic vegetables are friendly to the environment. They are, but they stop being so if you start your car and drive miles to the organic store just for some carrots and quinoa. Choose to do your shopping in a place that can be reached by walking or bicycling, and you will gain fitness and savings in car fuel.
Choosing Fair Trade Products
These days there are more fair trade products on the market, the kinds that are manufactured in factories with fair employment conditions. These factories usually have environmental awareness as well, so everybody wins.
Read Labels and Touch Packaging
Get used to reading labels in order to really know the products you buy: what kind of chemicals are included, where were they manufactured, how recyclable is the packaging.
When it comes to cleaning products check if they are toxic or have been tested on animals.
Letting the Animals Live
The question of whether industrial meat and dairy are healthy is still a controversial subject. But, what is agreed upon is the fact that these industries are highly polluting, and of course, cause great suffering for the cows and chickens.
Even if you do not plan on becoming a vegetarian right now, try to eat animals that have been killed humanely.
Electricity And Water
A lot of water and energy are spilling in the kitchen, which makes it a good place to practice different kinds of savings.
When you can, it is better to boil water, and heat food on the gas stove rather than the oven, microwave, or electric kettle. Leave the refrigerator door closed as much as possible. One minute of an open refrigerator equals two minutes of the refrigerator working in terms of energy. One minute of an open freezer equals half an hour of freezer work.
Try to develop sensitivity to the sound of running water. With all due respect to Feng Shui, not everything that is considered a delightful sound in nature is a good thing in the kitchen, so it is helpful to shut the faucet. And remember your plants would not mind being watered with recycled water.
Cleaning Products
Most of us have an arsenal of cleaning agents under the sink. And most of us believe that anything sanitized and sterilized is healthy. But, this is inaccurate.
Strong materials like bleach (often disguised with perfumes) are dangerous to us and the environment, and can usually be replaced with hot water and a little determined scrubbing. You can also use baking soda or vinegar.
Summary
New thinking patterns, the kinds that perceive food as something as much more meaningful than chewing material, will lead to nice little surprises between the sink and the stove.
When you develop awareness in the kitchen you buy less, accumulate less, and fill the garbage can more slowly.
You may discover that food heated on the stove is much tastier than in the microwave, the cat loves the yam’s cooking water, and pasta sauce you made yourself is much more delicious than the kind you buy in a jar, not just because of the freshness but also because of the sense of accomplishment and pride. It is worth a try, isn’t it?