apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Simple choices abound: not taking too many plastic baggies from the supermarket, reusing those you do need to take home, recycling as much as possible, or even composting (for those who choose to). Rarer opportunities to make an impact include choosing green products when renovating your kitchen: recycled or renewable materials, donating/recycling old appliances and cabinets, lower wattage lighting. Etc, etc...

To me, green means seeking out knowledge and making conscientious decisions.

I have to say that having a small balcony garden has affected my kitchen and eating and overall environmental awareness and action on a huge level. I grew up in nature with a garden but since I have made a return to the garden, in a very small way, as an adult, I now begin to understand it's importance on a greater level.

My garden is very small, a few tomato plants, herbs, flowers, beans, peas, peppers, but simple act of taking care of these things helps connect me to the environment in a huge way. With our cooking at home, every meal incorporates something from the garden. Right now it's primarily herbs but that is enough to elevate not only the flavor of the dish, but the meaning of the dish.

The power of growing your own food is exhilerating. It's literally the most green thing you could do!

For me, "green" in the kitchen has become trying to eat more local (participating in a CSA program), attempting to grow tomatoes and herbs at home - cultivating the soil to produce nutrient rich soil around my home, buying what I can in bulk to reduce packaging waste, and composting. Small steps, but ones I hope to be able to build on in the future. If every year I can add a few "saving" elements to my routine, I figure they are more likely to become mainstays of my life.

More local food is really important - I bike to the farmer's market weekly and bring my own bags. Also reducing packaging and waste - using bulk items instead of prepackaged when possible, dried beans instead of canned, etc. My boyfriend and I are building a house, and are doing our best to be as green as possible in the kitchen design. We've chosen very efficient appliances, local wood for the cabinets, and a dedicated window for my indoor herb garden!

Eat more plant food and less animal food.

I have a small garden too: herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce when is not too hot, not too many flowers because I reserve the space for growing food and the rest of my outdoor space is mostly shade.
I belong to a food coop that supports local producers:they offer a variety of organically produced food.
I try to use non-harmful products for cleaning.

Green in the kitchen means growing my own or buying locally grown (seasonal) produce when possible. As others mentioned, using canvas bags for groceries, and taking the packaging of food items into consideration before buying them. Meant me giving up alot of beverages I love (Jones/Italian soda) and drinking water from the tap. Though we do indulge from time to time.

Using containers for food for lunches in lieu of plastic bags, that get rinsed quickly at work with cold water and sit in a sudsy bucket of water with the rest of the dishes from dinner.

It also means eating vegetarian or vegan meals for dinner as that truly is the biggest personal impact you can have on the environment (and your health), and right in your own kitchen.

Planning meals so we don't have left over parts of vegetables, which can get hard when there are just two of you, we are constantly aware of what we still have left to use and what we will have left when we make something out of it.

We hate wasting food in general so we walk to the co-op every three days for a few minutes and grabbing fresh veggies, fruit, bread ect. Saves on us having to drive there to carry everything, and we are less likely to waste food that perishes quickly. Plus we like the walk, it's good exercise, it takes less than an hour and we usually return and pick up a new DVD from blockbuster enroute.

Soon we hope to be able to compost what does end up as waste, we are weighing our options right now.

Art - I totally agree with your whole post! I love my little vegetable plot! Even if its just herbs from the back yard, its so exciting! And it feels important somehow.

for me, i think a green kitchen is about using the most natural and earth friendly products, down to the produce, plants and food on the table and machines.