Environmental issues are pushing us more and more to question our behavior, especially concerning consumption. Zero waste is one of the great philosophies of the moment, and for a good reason! Well organized, your kitchen can allow you to drastically reduce your waste and therefore, your return trips to take out your trash can.
Replace single-use items
The first habit to reduce home waste is to forget single-use items, such as paper towels, cling film, or coffee capsules! We use these items over and over again, and none of them are recyclable. Replace your disposable accessories with durable ones. In the end, not only will you reduce your waste, but you will also reduce your expenses. A paper towel just needs to be put in the washing machine, the beeswax-based stretch film only needs a sponge, and coffee filters only need to be rinsed with water.
But cling film, paper towels, and coffee filters are not the only everyday items that can be replaced by sustainable equipment. Although most of your egg cartons are recyclable (some are even rapidly biodegradable), they can be replaced by a unique carton designed to keep your eggs longer and in the right conditions. If you are a straw fan, buy a set of reusable straws that you just have to clean. Finally, to go into the must of practicality, you can find sheets of baking paper that can be reused for several years, yes, you read that right, no more baking paper that disintegrates under your fingers when you take your food out of the oven!
Choose durable and resistant accessories
When it comes to accessories that you use repeatedly and that you may throw away because of wear and tear, you can acquire more resistant and durable accessories, or materials that are more environmentally friendly. To wash your dishes, we recommend these two accessories that will replace your disposable sponge in the long term. The brush is a classic that everyone has seen at their grandparents’ house, and they had it right: they are easy to wash, and much more durable. The sponges are made from plant-based materials, which makes them 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
For your containers too, the situation can change! Choose materials other than plastic. Glass is more resistant and above all, allows you to keep your food hermetically, and thus in a much more durable way in good conditions (whether it is at room temperature or fresh). Besides, it’s much nicer to see a shelf of colorful jars than a bunch of half-opened and torn packages, isn’t it? For your shopping too, you can give up plastic bags! Plastic bags break through and are difficult to wash, unlike cotton bags that can be washed if needed, and are resistant to weight and tears.
Stop over-packaging and manage your waste
To continue your zero waste approach, avoid over-packaging. Your tap water is just as safe to drink as the water you buy in bottles. Get into the habit of filling up a carafe rather than buying bottled water. If you’re worried about what might be in it, we suggest you get a carafe filter to prevent limescale or a Berkey filter to perfectly filter your water.
Another overpackaged product to avoid is fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Take your products in bulk at the supermarket thanks to your new super cotton bags, and for herbs, you can grow them at home, directly in your kitchen, with a mini indoor garden that will brighten up your decoration!
Unfortunately, no matter how much you apply all these tips and equip yourself, you will always have waste produced by your kitchen. This is normal! However, you can still reduce your ecological footprint by adequately sorting your waste to allow those that can be recycled!
If you haven’t already done so, provide yourself with three different bins (in addition to your household trash) depending on the type of waste you will be disposing of: Paper recyclables, plastic recyclables, and glass recyclables. In addition to these three bins, you can get a small kitchen compost bin to recycle your organic waste. You will find a real benefit in the weight and smell of your household trash after removing all your biodegradable waste.
You have reached the end of this article on kitchen equipment for going zero waste. You’ll notice a significant reduction in your trips to the road to take out your trash, plus you won’t have to buy new accessories every three weeks that could last for months (or years).