Create a green home starting with your kitchen

Are you concerned about the environment? Looking for a way to be a little more eco-friendly? Believe it or not, the kitchen can be a great place to start a green home movement. For a greener home starting with your kitchen, try these great tips.

• Cultivation and herb garden: Growing an indoor herb garden is a great way to start an eco-friendly kitchen. Growing your own herbs not only helps you stay organic, but also makes every meal better. Choose some of your favorite spices (basil, thyme, oregano, and garlic are the most popular), get a couple of clay pots, and start your garden. You will want to place your plants on a windowsill where they will receive plenty of sunlight. Check out your online gourmet retailers like igourmet for herb garden kits that will provide you with everything you need to start your garden.
• Fair Trade Beers: If you love a cup of coffee in the morning, consider buying and brewing your own fair trade coffee. While most coffees are mass-produced or made through non-organic processes, fair trade products work to “fairly” compensate small farmers for their time and product. Farmers who participate in the fair trade tradition use organic means to produce, harvest and sell their products. Fair Trade products are not limited to coffees; many gourmet retailers offer a wide selection of Fair Trade products, including sugars, syrups, and teas
• Take it to go: Did you know that over two million Styrofoam cups are used for a cup of coffee in the morning and then simply thrown away? Do your part to reduce non-biodegradable waste when you make your morning cup of coffee or tea and go home. If you want to enjoy your hot beverage while driving or at work, considering investing in a good travel mug might be a good idea. Preparing your coffee to go and taking it with you in a reusable travel mug will help you save time, money and the environment.
• Say no to plastic: Whether you’re taking your lunch to work or refrigerating leftovers, consider getting rid of plastic bags and plastic wrap and replacing them with reusable Tupperware containers. Using and reusing containers will help reduce the amount of product you consume and ultimately keep your sandwiches or last night’s dinner fresher for longer.
• Use reusable kitchen towels and napkins: When you’re done doing the dishes and need to clean your hands, take a second and think about what you use. Many people use a paper towel, wipe off their wet hands, and proceed to throw it away. A great way to reduce paper waste and work towards an eco-friendly kitchen is to switch to reusable napkins and hand towels. Buy some fancy cloth napkins for your table and just wash them after you’re done using them. I’m not saying you have to ditch those paper towel rolls entirely. Sometimes they come in handy for messes you don’t want to clean up with reusable cloths. When shopping for paper towels, look for brands that use recycled paper to produce the towels; after all, they will just go back in the trash.