Being Greener in the Kitchen

I was reading todays edition of Relish Magazine (relishmag.com) from the Seattle Times paper, and it offered some simple, yet valuable tips that we can all use to be greener in the kitchen. Here are the tips they shared:

• Buy frozen orange juice and mix it in a reusable container, rather than buying a new jug each time.
• Bring foods to room temperature before placing in the oven.
• Instead of rinsing your dishes, scrape them into the trash can before placing in the dishwasher. It saves water.
• Use a slow cooker. It uses less energy than an incandescent light bulb. For slow cooker recipes, go to relishmag.com/slowcooker
• If your oven has a convection setting, use it for baking. It keeps air moving and cooks faster.
• Don't open the oven while baking. The temperature drops 25F each time.
• Use dishtowels instead of paper towels to wipe up messes.

Since I spend more time in the kitchen these days, here are a few things I try to do to keep my kitchen seeing green:

• Use a crocheted dish scrub made from 100% acrylic yarn. The yarn is antibacterial and you can wash most dishes without the help of soap.
• When using the oven, make left overs and freeze. You wont have to turn on the oven to eat again, and microwaving something thats defrosted on its own will take less time to warm up.
• Stop using your garbage disposal and put food scraps in a small bin. Empty daily into a food /yard waste bin.
• Eat foods that don't require much cooking. Not only do you save on energy, you'll also get much more nutritional value from foods such as fruits and vegetables!
• Don't overbuy on groceries. Rotting food is a waste of food and money.