5 Ways to A Greener Kitchen

With climate change an urgent subject of the daily news, from wildfires to starving polar bears, you may be looking for a way to make an impact in the heart of your home. At LAVISH, we believe in supporting modern eco-friendly acts. 

Here are our top 5 recommendations to make your kitchen a sustainable haven.

🍃  1. Use Natural Cleaners

You might be surprised how well you can clean with just a few time-tested ingredients. Natural cleaners are free from phosphates, chlorine, and artificial fragrances and colors. All are harmful to water, air, the ecosystem and to human health – from the obvious effects of skin and airway irritation to being a long-term carcinogenic. It’s easy to throw out the bleach and scrubbing sprays when you know lemon juice, baking soda, white vinegar, and olive oil will do everything you need. 

There are also excellent green-cleaning products you can grab right off the shelf. We like Meyer’s and good ol’ Murphy’s Wood Cleaner. Your family’s nose, mouth, and skin will thank you as they take in the fresh smell of true clean. Don’t forget to reuse and recycle!

     #2 compost     

It feels great when those choice bits of meat left over get scarfed up by the grateful family pooch, but unless you have rabbits too, you likely have some food waste. When you trash it, not only will your kitchen rubbish be sealed in an airtight space for eternity, but it’ll also create methane when it decomposes, contributing to climate change. 

Your garden will love you for composting, if you have one, but you don’t have to. It can also be used to fertilize lawns, trees, bushes, flowers, and houseplants; or shared with a neighbor or friend. All you need is an extra can for your waste bin but make sure it has a lid! This is where you’ll collect your greens – grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds. Be sure to look up what not to compost. Mix it up outside with your browns and water and you’ll have rich dirt that will make your roses the delight of your community.

Even if you’re in an apartment or don’t have a yard, you can still compost.  Most cities have started composting efforts along with their trash collection; check to see what’s available through your local government or trash company.

 Carry Reusable Bags and Containers 

Have you heard there’s a Texas-size floating island of plastic in the Pacific? We’re proud of the size of Texas, but that doesn’t give us the same feeling. The good news is there are ways to eliminate plastic that are right at hand. 

Think of all the single-use containers you use and find ways to replace them with reusable containers.  For instance:

• • • Instead of buying single-serving drinks, carry a metal or glass drink container and fill it with whatever! Bonus: It stays cold or warm and no PCBs go into your bloodstream!
    • Bring reusable produce bags and larger grocery bags every time you shop. Stash them in your trunk after you put your food away. 
    • Use glass food storage for office or school meals to-go instead of plastic containers or baggies. Have your family return them every day – or else!

Cook More, Eat Out Less

You know that feeling when one takeout meal fills your whole waste bin with countless pieces of styrofoam, plastic, and oily cardboard – trash guilt. Life gets busy and sometimes you just have to phone it in, but the mountain of trash repels you. 

Set a goal for doing takeout no more than once a week. Save it for that crazy day when you’re going from work to a school board meeting to soccer practice. 

On the weekends, plan ahead for the week of meals and get all the ingredients together so when it comes time to make dinner, you just have to pop everything in a pan. Make a list of the family favorites you want to serve and all the ingredients you need. This will help you stay on task at the grocery store and eliminate more trash guilt when that quart-size bin of salad greens doesn’t get eaten.

  Eco-Frienly Cabinets  

Crafted from sustainable sources and with minimal or no toxic chemicals, green cabinetry upgrades your home’s cost-effectiveness and safety. We spend around 90% of our time indoors, where air pollution ranks higher than outdoors, so indoor air quality is a vital component of your family’s health. 

At LAVISH, we are driven by a strong commitment to the environment’s  well-being and yours. We  select materials that cause zero negative impact on the earth while respecting nature and our planet. Our solid woods come exclusively from green-certified forests and plantations. We also offer a variety of other eco-conscious options. 

Click here to schedule a visit with a professional designer about how to fuel your family from an elegant modern kitchen and support the healthiest environment for your home and the earth.