Sustainability @home: enjoy with a clear conscience.
Plastic-free alternatives, regional products and the appreciation of food – integrating sustainability in our everyday lives and our own four walls is simpler than one might initially think. Whether it be in a wardrobe or in the bathroom – the selection of eco-hostile products and alternatives is greater than ever. In the following, we will reveal some clever tips and tricks to help you convert your kitchen into a room of greater sustainability.
Foodstuffs are precious.
Planning purchases and the correct storage can reduce food waste. Moreover, many foods are still edible long past their sell-by dates. Choosing vegetables, fruit and cereal products more often and trying to reduce your own consumption of meat and milk, can lead to a sustainable reduction in food-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Know where your food comes from
Unlike food farmed in a conventional manner, regional organic products are often produced with fewer resources and in a more eco-friendly way. Particularly when it comes to meat and fish products, one should therefore give precedence to indigenous organic products. The shorter transport routes lead to a reduction in Co2 and support regional farms and the people working there. Anyone who has the possibility can grow their own vegetables and herbs. Basically, it suffices to have a small balcony or garden to play it safe when it comes to the origin or the products.
More reusables.
A large amount of plastic can be saved by using reusable drinking bottles and reusable carrier bags. Individually packed drinks or single-use plastic bags can be avoided this way. In turn this leads to less plastic waste and a lower use of resources in production. Moreover, with kitchen utensils it is better to invest in long-serving products and to consider, before buying new ones, whether one can repair the objects on hand. Tiny plastic particles in the cutlers etc. made of plastic can be dislodged because of the heat when cooking which then inevitably get into our bodies through the tasty food we consume! So, it is better to use cutting boards, salad servers and cooking ladles made of wood to make sure that you can enjoy your meal safely and free of plastic.
Going separate ways.
Garbage separation plays a great role in sustainable cuisine. If separated correctly, organic waste, aluminium cans, waste glass, plastics and waste paper still constitute valuable raw materials. They can, in the main, be recycled or used again. If an ideal scenario, organic waste can be composted in your own garden and the waste collected in the organic garbage cans then becomes high-quality compost used in biogas plants. Biogas is then also produced that can be used to generate heat and electricity.
Sources & further information:
https://www.bmk.gv.at/themen/klima_umwelt/abfall/Kreislaufwirtschaft/trennung/altstoffe.html
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