Between reusable straws and eco-friendly lunch sacks, eco-friendly gadgets are making their way into the kitchen more and more. If you’re just staring to replace old kitchen items with more eco-friendly alternatives, here are the 9 best eco-friendly kitchen gadgets that can get you started.
1: Paper Towel Alternatives
Paper towels generate a large amount of garbage that goes directly to the landfill and results in many trees being felled. Obviously there has to be a more eco-friendly alternative, and there are several options. Firstly, you can replace your use of paper towels with fabric tea towels, which can obviously be reused countless times. If you want an alternative that is indistinguishable from paper towels, bamboo towels are the way to go. They can be washed over 100 times and have less of an impact on the environment.
2: Reusable Food Covers
Silicone food covers can easily replace plastic wrap and aluminum foil when storing leftovers. In addition, they are microwave safe, so you can cover your food in the microwave easily and reduce the amount you have to clean the microwave. Silicone items are very resistant, so you won’t have to buy anything beyond the initial investment for a long time.
3: Reusable Produce Bags
If you’re environmentally conscious, then you probably have already switched to reusable bags over plastic ones at the grocery store. Take that decision a step further by replacing the plastic bags that are provided for produce. Many reusable produce bags are made of natural fibers like hemp or cotton, and they won’t last centuries in landfills like the plastic ones will.
4: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
There are a multitude of eco-friendly cleaning products, such as disinfectants and dish soaps, that are available today. Look for cleaning products that advertise themselves as cruelty-free and plant-based, since these markers generally are less harmful to the environment.
5: Reusable Single-Cup Coffee Filters
Many people have switched from pot coffee makers to single-cup coffee makers in order to reduce their caffeine intake or for the greater convenience. The big downside is that single-use coffee makers often use plastic pods that will fill landfills for centuries to come. Switch to a reusable single-cup coffee filter to cut down this aspect of everyday plastic waste.
6: Water Softener
You may not think of a water softener as an eco-friendly kitchen gadget, but these handy appliances can solve many environmentally unfriendly problems in your household. They make your tap water more effective for cleaning, cutting down on the amount of water you use. They also make your water taste better, which means that you’ll find switching from plastic, throw-away bottled water to tap easier. There are even some water softeners, such as Ecowater, which make a point of manufacturing in as environmentally friendly a way as possible.
7: Glass Food Storage Containers
Conventional food storage containers are made of plastic, which is about as environmentally unfriendly of a material as there is. Switching to glass food storage containers for your leftovers is, therefore, a very eco-friendly switch. Glass containers will last longer and are able to be put in your oven and freezer, making them more practical as well. Ditch the plastic containers and Ziploc bags in favor of these alternatives.
8: Compostable Trash Bags
Like other plastic alternatives on this list, compostable trash bags are often made of plant-based products. They will keep your trash from being encased in non-biodegradable plastic for centuries, and you can easily start composting using them as well.
9: Sponge Alternatives
Conventional kitchen sponges are full of plastics, dyes, glues, and other materials that are the opposite of biodegradable. There are a multitude of sponge alternatives available that will last longer and not stick around in landfills for generations. The best are made of cotton, hemp, or even cactus.
