40 way to get A GREENER HOME
The kitchen
More than any other room, the kitchen generates a huge amount of packaging waste. A 2018 survey by RECOUP showed that 525,000 tonnes of plastic trays, pots and tubs alone were used in homes, with only 169,145 tonnes sent for recycling. You can slash this volume by buying from farmers’ markets, farm shops or the local greengrocer and using reusable containers or bags; buying produce via a box scheme; growing your own; using foil or – even better – the new beeswax wraps instead of cling film, and refilling product containers.
1 Use natural cleaning products or make your own
Ecover’s former chief executive Mick Bremans once said there’s no such thing as an environmentally-friendly household product, as everything has an impact on the planet – but some are far better than others. Choose eco-friendly products or make your own (see page 38 to find out how).
2 BUY ENERGYEFFICIENT DOMESTIC APPLIANCES
Appliances are energy guzzlers, so choose those that use the least amount and use them efficiently – for example, by part-filling the kettle to boil only what you need.
3
In their favour, dishwashers are said to use up to four times less water than washing up by hand, but should only be run fully loaded, on an eco setting, without the things having been rinsed first (scrape instead). Check out a new dishwasher’s green credentials on and always plump for a quality product that will last.
