Today we celebrate Earth Day and its’ 45th anniversary as a day recognized for creating awareness about our environment, protecting our planet and embracing more environmentally friendly choices and lifestyles.
A lot has changed since the first Earth Day in 1970. Kitchen ideas were nowhere to be found during a time where leaded gas and air and land polluting factories and power plants were some of the biggest challenges people protested against here in the U.S. It was this first Earth Day that led to historical changes in the way our country looked at the environment, paving the way for the Environmental Protection Agency to be formed and the eventual introductions of the Clean Water, Clean Air and Endangered Species Acts. Today Earth Day is celebrated around the world, bringing together people of all nations.
These days, we are all looking for ways every day to live in a more environmentally friendly way. To help you find that in the kitchen, here are 5 environmentally friendly kitchen ideas for you to consider:
1. Open Shelving – one of today’s most popular kitchen design trends is the movement towards open shelving. It requires less materials and in some cases, reclaimed wood is used to give the kitchen a very unique and distinctive feel.
2. Recycling Center Cabinets – paper, plastic, metal, glass…you should be recycling it! Whether you have room for 2 bins or 4, a pull out trash storage and recycling center cabinet allows you to easily separate recyclables and insure they don’t go somewhere to sit in a landfill for the next 50 years.
3. Hands Free Faucets – hands free faucets help you to use less water and do so in a more hygienic way. But not having to touch anything when preparing food you have less chance of passing on germs and the faucets sensors quickly respond when hands or other items have been removed.
4. Wood Cutting Boards – replace plastic cutting boards with wood ones, particular regenerating species such as bamboo. Not only are the better for the environment, but studies have shown that wood cutting boards are less likely to contaminate food when used.
5. Indoor Herb Garden – who doesn’t love fresh herbs year round? An indoor herb garden provides instant access to a natural food source, saves money, helps keep your indoor air quality healthier and can even provide subtle touches of aromatherapy and be a therapeutic resource as well as a food one.
Even changes to the smallest of behaviors can help in the fight for a better environment. Don’t stop at a few kitchen ideas. Earth Day is every day! Look for little (and big) things you can do today and every day to help the environment and make every day a little better, brighter and greener.
By Jim Grace
