No More Plastic In Your Kitchen: 5 Sustainable Swaps to make Your Kitchen Eco-Friendly
Have you ever wondered how much plastic is in your kitchen? Chances are that most of the items in your kitchen are plastic. Read through this article to learn about 5 sustainable swaps you can make to reduce the use of plastic waste!
Sustainable Swap #1: Beeswax Wraps
The first sustainable swap is beeswax wraps instead of zip-loc baggies or aluminum foil, as long as you are not heating anything. Made from fabric and soaked in beeswax, beeswax wraps are so liable that you can wrap it around any shape of food and keep it sealed! Because the wax is waterproof, it can keep moisture in or out. Beeswax wraps are also reusable!
Where can I buy this?
You can find these in most retail stores, as well EcoSwap, an online marketplace dedicated solely to preventing plastic waste.
Sustainable Swap #2: Silicone Food Covers
Silicone food covers are an excellent alternative to aluminum foil or plastic wrap. You can use silicone covers to cover leftovers, open food containers, and even cover dishes in the oven that you are roasting or baking! Silicone covers are flexible so you can fit them around many containers! Silicone food covers are reusable and versatile so you can use them for many different applications and keep them for a long time. This eliminates single-use items like foil and plastic wrap completely, so no waste!
Where can I buy this?
You can find silicone covers in most retail stores and even online stores!
Sustainable Swap #3: Linen Table Napkins
Now most households definitely have a collection of special use linen napkins meant only for special occasions. However it would be a good practice to use them more often to reduce the use of single-use paper napkins. Linen napkins are washable and they can last many years, and what’s more, you can compost them! Zero waste!
Single-use paper towels and napkins have a huge environmental impact associated with how they’re made. Commercial timber farming and the paper-making process are linked to deforestation, land degradation, habitat loss, excessive water use, and land and water pollution.
Every paper towel you use has been grown, harvested, processed, and manufactured for you to use just once – that is a huge impact for a tiny payoff!
Where can I buy this?
Reusable linen can be bought from zero waste stores, or bought online from vendors on EcoSwap!
Sustainable Swap #4: Glass Storage Container
Do you have any plastic Tupperware given to you by grandma that you have held onto for years and now has food stains in it? An easy swap for plastic Tupperware are glass storage containers! Glass storage containers are durable, they can withstand heat and cold, do not absorb smells or flavors from their contents!
Glass containers eliminates plastic – less plastic being manufactures, less in circulation, and less to end up in landfills or the natural environment! Containers made from glass are infinitely recyclable so if one breaks, you can always recycle it.
Where can I buy this?
You can find glass storage containers at any retail store or online!
Sustainable Swap #5: Eco-Friendly Detergent and Cleaning Products
The normal detergent and cleaning products you get are packaged in heavy plastics and contain many harsh chemicals. These chemicals are often responsible for water pollution, eutrophication, and the loss of aquatic life. The plastics used in the packaging are often virgin plastic, rather than recycled plastic, and often not the whole container is recyclable, if at all.
Eco-friendly dish soaps, laundry detergents and cleaning products are made with the environment in mind. They contain less harsh chemicals and fewer toxic substances. They’re usually biodegradable and come in plastic-free or recycled plastic packaging. The packaging is also recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable.
Where do I find this?
To find the best eco-friendly laundry detergent and cleaning products, visit Mindset Co. and check out their reviews of the best eco-friendly detergents for 2023!
