Maegan-Leigh JacobsThere has never been a better and more important time than now to make your home more sustainable, whether it is your garden or your kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home and to ensure that it is not harming our beautiful planet, we need to go green in the kitchen!
Find tips on how to go green in the kitchen and embrace sustainability in your home:
Wonderful waste
Composting in your kitchen has an enormous impact on South Africa’s landfill crisis as well as greenhouse gas emissions. One study found that up to 40% of landfill waste in SA is organic or biodegradable – so it’s time to order a Bokashi bucket. Bokashi is simple: Seal organic waste in an airtight container hidden in your kitchen, add some Bokashi bran, drain the tea periodically as scraps ferment, and then add to the compost. And voila!
Reduce, reuse, remodel
Thinking of remodeling? Find a carpenter who knows their way around reclaimed wood. Working with existing materials – both upcycled and refinished – is a great way to get creative. It doesn’t have to look shabby, there are hundreds of ways to make reclaimed wood match up to other surfaces or look brand new. Consider materials such as cork and bamboo for flooring projects, and if you decide on more affordable hardwood, make sure to check out how the wood is sourced. In the vein of surfaces, when sourcing stone tops or finishes, consider durable salvaged pieces and varieties that are processed using less energy and can be recycled.
Read more: Tips to a more sustainable garden
Green Tech
Geysers can account for 60% of your electricity bill. Your geyser reheats whenever you run hot water, regardless of how much hot water is still in the tank. Opt for a geyser controller and timer that checks if hot water is left and switches the geyser off or allows it to reheat more energy-efficiently. This shaves down on how much energy is wasted on heating. If geysers can be smart, so can plugs. Smart plugs connect to your WiFi network. It’s simpler and greener than it sounds. They can tell you which devices or appliances are using the most energy, switch things off remotely and be set to turn outlets off on a timer. This prevents electricity leaks from electronics that are plugged in but not in use. Think TVs, microwaves, game consoles, or coffee machines on standby.
TIP: If you don’t like the idea of scraping organic waste out and having to wash the bucket, you can grab compostable waste bags too!
A version of this article was originally published in the Garden&Home February 2023 printed magazine.
Feature image: Unsplash
