How to Make Your Kitchen Eco-Friendly
Many of us have an eco-conscience and want to reduce our waste. You might cycle to work and use recyclable shopping bags, helping to reduce your footprint, however, kitchen appliances are often the biggest source of energy consumption in our homes and everyday lives. There are ways that you can make your kitchen eco friendly and reduce your ecological footprint at the same time. Here are some tips to design an eco-friendly kitchen, with all the whistles and bells still included.
Install power saving appliances
Our kitchen appliances can total 30% of all household energy. By selecting sustainable appliances, your energy bills will see a huge reduction. If you are investing in new appliances, why not choose eco-friendly appliances which will save you money in the long run and reduce your carbon footprint? Australian appliances utilise a one to ten star energy rating which will guide you when making your decision whether to buy new eco-friendly appliances or second-hand, power-consuming, low-grade appliances.
Make use of recycled materials
Often people hear the words “green kitchen design” and assume that this will cost them a fortune. Eco-friendly materials do not need to break the bank, in fact, they are often affordable. Recycled materials are a great way to add variety to your kitchen design’s visual appearance. Recycled materials currently being embraced by new kitchen designers include; birch plywood made from thinly sliced timber, bamboo and resin. Another option is a stone countertop. Beautiful in appearance, easy to clean and incredibly hygienic.
The furniture design industry has also embraced the use of recycled materials. You can now find furniture in Australia made by designers using reclaimed plastic bottles, smart-phones and more.
LED Lighting
Switching to LED lighting is a huge step towards energy saving. Not only is LED lighting eco-friendly by minimising greenhouse gas emissions, but it also reduces your electricity bills. The NSW Government may even subsidise your switch from halogen downlights as an added incentive to upgrade to LED. Read more about sustainability in kitchen design on our blog.
Design a herb bed
Appliances are not the only way you can design an eco-friendly kitchen. If your kitchen has enough natural light why not design a simple herb garden to grow rosemary, chives, coriander and all your favourite produce? If you do not want to implement the garden into your kitchen design you can simply grow vegetables in your backyard or on your window sill. Growing your own produce also reduces the amount of plastic you consume from the supermarket, as well as food waste, as you only pick what you need.
Do your research
It is easy to fall in love with an eco kitchen design on Pinterest or in magazines and forget the rest. If you are looking to make a considerable change in your eco-footprint, do your best to put in the time researching the products you are buying and all of the materials you are choosing for your home.
Want to learn more about how to create a kitchen that’s great for you and for the environment? Download our 2020 Kitchen Design Trends eBook today
