Top 10 eco-friendly products for your kitchen
When we’re talking about the kitchen, we can easily find products that are not eco-friendly. Of course, there are a lot of eco-conscious alternatives for them, but they are not very popular. As usual, we try to promote such products to reach as many people as possible. That’s why in this article we will present to you the top 10 eco-friendly products that can be used in your kitchen.
Don’t forget that we wrote a similar article with eco-friendly products list for the bathroom. This one will be very similar to that and you will find a list of products that are affordable and easy to find, especially on the internet. Probably, not all the products will be suitable for you, but you will definitely make a change to the earth if you will use at least two or three of them.
Top 10 eco-friendly products for your kitchen
1. Bamboo straws
We begin our list by presenting a good plastic alternative. Plastic straws contribute a lot to the plastic debris that is found in the ocean. In the US, millions of plastic straws are used daily and just a few of them are going to be recycled. The drinking-straw market is dominated by them and just a few people think of alternatives to replace the plastic straws.
The best alternative is to use bamboo straws. These straws are 100% organic and biodegradable. Unlike plastic ones, bamboo straws can be reused many times, so they are more sustainable. With just 10 dollars you can buy about 10 of them, which also include straw brushes. So they are definitely cheap, eco-friendly and don’t represent a threat to the environment.
2. Reusable silicone sandwich bags
Another plastic product that we often use in the kitchen is the sandwich bag. An average American uses dozens of sandwich bags a year. For the most part, they are used only once, so they are not sustainable at all. If you are a fan of them you should think about switching to a better option. The best plastic sandwich bags alternative are the silicone ones.
Silicone sandwich silicone bags are more durable and they can be used many times. Even if it’s not organic, silicone is a better alternative for plastic. This material is more ocean-friendly and doesn’t release dangerous toxins. By using silicone bags, your food will be better protected from heat and cold. The fact that it can be reused is definitely the main advantage, so you can enjoy one bag for a long time.
3. Reusable grocery bags
Yes, there is also a substitute for plastic grocery bags. Reusable ones are made of sustainable materials and many of them are also 100% biodegradable. They can be used many times before you throw them away and are definitely more eco-friendly. Because of their durability, reusable bags can be used in different ways and it can carry heavier things.
There are many reusable bags benefits, but the most important one is that we can avoid pollution by using them. A solid reusable bag can replace up to 1000 plastic bags. That’s why they are undoubtedly more sustainable and can also save you some money. Fortunately, they began to be more popular in the last years and many people gave up the plastic bags in their favor.
4. Compostable trash bags
The compostable kitchen trash bags shouldn’t be missing from your house. These bags are a little bit more expensive than the normal ones, but it’s worth giving a little extra money to protect the environment. With about 20-30 dollars you can buy 100 of them and they will last you for about two months. Make sure you buy bags that have the BPI compostable certification.
An average person is using over 700 plastic trash bags a year. Those bags will decompose in up to 1000 years and they represent a big threat to the earth. The biodegradable version of those bags is cleaner, ethical, and non-toxic. It will decompose quicker than the plastic ones and we think that it’s worth spending some extra money to buy them.
5. Eco-friendly garbage bins
An eco-friendly garbage bin has two compartments. In one of them, you will throw the recyclable materials and in the other one, the regular kitchen trash. Paper, plastic, glass, or metal are materials that can be recycled but many times end up in the regular trash can. With a dual garbage bin, you can sort out the garbage much easier, and recyclable materials will go to the right place more easily.
The prices of an eco-friendly garbage bin differ depending on the size or of the material from which it’s made. Of course, we recommend you to avoid the plastic ones. For more convenience, it is better to buy bigger trash cans. This way you won’t have to take the trash out too often, so it will save you a little bit of time and energy.
6. Reusable paperless towels
Switching to reusable paperless towels is a great way to protect our planet’s resources. More than 50.000 trees are cut daily for producing North America’s paper towels supply. Also, the paper industry consumes a lot of water. So just by that, two of the earth’s main resources are wasted for some products that can be easily replaced with more sustainable options.
The most reusable towels are made of fabric and can be reused many times. They are washable, easy to use, and even more efficient than the paper ones. The best reusable towels are made of cotton, so they are very soft and absorbable. Also, the bamboo kitchen towels represent a good eco-friendly option. They are 100% biodegradable and can be bought at a decent price.
7. Reusable glass jars
Try to avoid store packaging and switch to reusable glass jars to store your flour, sugar, oatmeal, etc. It’s more eco-friendly to buy those products in bulk and store them in your kitchen in zero-waste containers. The food can be organized much better and one jar is easy to reuse over and over again after a short wash. Also, in this kind of jars, you can store your lunch for work or it can be used for leftovers.
Unlike plastic, glass containers don’t absorb any food or germs. If you have hot food you don’t need to wait for it to get colder, so you can store it directly into the jars. The fact that you can reuse the jars many times will save you some good money. You can put cute labels on them for easier food recognition and don’t forget that they are 100% recyclable.
8. Plant-based sponges
These kitchen sponges undoubtedly enter our top 10 eco-friendly products list for the kitchen. There are many natural versions for the plastic ones and those natural sponges are very affordable. They are 100% made of natural ingredients that have good quality. Cellulose is the most used ingredient and compared to plastic, it is a thousand time more eco-friendly.
Sea sponges are also a good natural option. Those sponges are harvested from seas and oceans and are 100% biodegradable. With these sponges, you won’t have to worry about pollution and they can be used several times. Another alternative for you to try is loofah. It is a natural plant that is dried out so that it can be used as a sponge. If you will use loofas, let them dry between uses and they will last several weeks or even months.
9. Reusable baking paper
Another product we often use in the kitchen is baking paper. Most people are using such paper only once, and then are going to throw it away. The best way to reduce such waste is by using reusable baking paper. This baking product has proven efficiency and it will last you at least several weeks. It is easy to wash with warm water and it’s also very healthier because of its non-stick property.
This alternative for the normal baking paper is great for the environment. With the reusable one, there’s no need to worry about much waste and we also consider it a money saver. Unfortunately, many of these papers are not 100% biodegradable. The most eco-friendly baking papers are the unbleached parchment papers, so look out for them if you will go shopping.
10. Reusable plastic-free coffee mug
We end our top 10 eco-friendly products for the kitchen with something about the holly coffee. If you are a coffee drinker you are probably familiar with the traditional paper and plastic cups. These cups are usually used for coffee to go and are offered in the coffee shops or you even buy them for home. These products are of course very polluting and they consume important resources. It’s reported that about 2.7 million coffee cups are thrown away each day!
Luckily for us, there are a lot of plastic-free reusable coffee mugs on the market. These are made of materials such as stainless steel, ceramic, glass, or even bamboo. Of course, they can be used for months or even years, so they will help you to master your zero-waste game. You can take them with you to the coffee shops, so you can refuse to receive the usual plastic and paper cups.
Have you enjoyed our top 10 eco-friendly products for your kitchen article? Then visit our eco-friendly products section for more interesting product ideas.
