[AD] How Can You Make Your Kitchen Eco-Friendly In 2020?

This post was imagined and created by Multiliving, an Italian kitchen designer and showroom in London

Leading a more eco-friendly lifestyle might start with food, but it shouldn’t stop there. Making your kitchen more green, by changing food-prep and cleaning habits, is also a way to be eco-friendly. Designing the right kitchen for your greener lifestyle is a step in the right direction. Having a green kitchen will motivate you to stay dedicated to your eco-friendly habits, even when they seem inconvenient. Here are five ways to make kitchen eco-friendly in 2020. 

Energy Efficiency

Efficiency is important in the kitchen, where you use several large appliances and a sink. You can start by buying energy-efficient appliances, or checking if your current ones could use an upgrade rather than replacement. 

Another feature to look at is the cooker. There are advantages and disadvantages to using both gas and electrical, so you’ll have to decide which is best for you. For gas models, the BTU output is the thing to look at, with lower output being the most energy-efficient. For electrical cookers, the best option are induction heating elements, but these can be costly. They only activate and emit heat when the proper metal cookware sits atop the burners, so no aluminium or glass pots. 

Replace Appliances Properly

Even eco-friendly appliances wear down eventually. When you truly can’t repair them and must replace your appliances, ensure you get rid of them properly. Many contain hazardous chemicals or materials, which can cause significant environmental damage if they’re just hauled off to a landfill. Look for local donation centres that will take old appliances off your hands, or call rubbish removal professionals. 

When you buy a new appliance, search for its energy efficiency rating. Choose something sturdy that will last – you don’t want to have to do this replacement process every few years. Also, consider downsizing your fridge. Unless there are several people in your household, a half-size or smaller refrigerator might be all you need. It consumes less energy and forces you to go shopping for fresh food more regularly. 

Use the Oven Sparingly

A kitchen is only eco-friendly if you take on green cookery habits. One of these is minimising how often you use the oven. Most modern ovens don’t require much preheating, so you shouldn’t have to turn them on in advance, and you can even cut the heat early and let your dish sit for a few minutes afterward to finish cooking. It’s also prudent to cook more than one thing at a time and save the leftovers.

Another eco-friendly habit is to avoid using the oven at all if you can help it. Put smaller dishes in a microwave oven or use a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers can reduce cooking time by up to 70 percent, saving a great deal of energy. Also, when cooking with pots and pans on the cooker, don’t use pots that are bigger than burner – this wastes energy. In addition, always use tight-fitting lids to keep the heat inside the pot. These simple habits will go a long way in making your kitchen more eco-friendly. 

Choose Recycled Materials and Furnishings

Many kitchen materials used today are made from recycled products. Quartz slabs for countertops and glass tiles are only a few examples of the choices you have. Another is birch plywood for cabinets, made of sheets of timber glued together. When selecting materials for cabinets, ensure they’re manufactured with non-chemical-based adhesive, though. 

When it comes to floors and walls, bamboo, engineered boards, and resin are all great eco-friendly options. Always look for low-VOC (volatile organic chemicals) paints and finishes, as these minimise both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Eco-friendly materials are always available when designing your new kitchen. 

Buy Local and Don’t Waste

Another green habit to take up is buying local. Food that comes from overseas burns through a lot of energy to arrive at your local supermarket. Choose fruits and vegetables that were grown nearby instead.

When you’re buying locally, try to avoid unnecessary packaging. You can do this by selecting certain items to buy but also by bringing your own, reusable shopping bag. If you do buy something that has packaging, like old jars and glass bottles, try to keep them and reuse them. 

Final Thoughts on Making an Eco-Friendly Kitchen in 2020

Having an eco-friendly kitchen might seem complicated, but once you take on greener habits you won’t even notice. You can set yourself up for a green eating lifestyle by designing an eco-friendly kitchen as well. As North London-based kitchen designers, Multiliving strives to provide the most sustainable options when creating or remodelling our bespoke, Italian kitchens for our clients. We see more and more people making the switch to greener lifestyles, starting with the kitchen. With these tips, you can too.

This is a paid collaborative post.