Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic - Anna Getty [12]
2. If you feel you need to use plastic bags, make sure you reuse what you have. Although it may sound unappetizing, wash storage bags and use them until they are unusable. There is even a special bag dryer you can leave on the counter.
3. To store leftover food, use glass-ware, recycled plasticware, recycled aluminum foil, parchment paper, or aluminum or stainless-steel containers.
4. For kitchen garbage bags, consider using recycled plastic or biodegradable bags.
5. Buy milk in glass bottles instead of plastic ones. The bottles are returnable, which saves glass and gives you up to a 50 percent refund from the store. If you prefer to keep the bottles, they make great vases.
6. Use recycled paper towels or organic cotton dish towels for kitchen cleanup.
7. Offer organic cloth napkins or recycled paper napkins for meals.
toxic cookware and safe alternatives
While I’ve included ways to be more green and sustainable in the kitchen through the “four Rs,” there are other important ways you can green your kitchen, including the removal of toxic cookware and utensils from your kitchen. Aluminum, Teflon, and all other forms of toxic nonstick cookware have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease by some studies. Some coatings contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a carcinogenic plastic known to leach when heated. Others are made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE), which emits gases that have been known to kill domesticated birds. Find nonstick alternatives that are not hazardous. GreenPan and Gastrolux (a German company) offer safe nonstick pans. Other safe cookware solutions include the following:
1. Stainless steel
2. Cast iron
3. Glass
4. Unglazed terra-cotta (the glazes can contain lead)
5. Coated ceramic
6. Soapstone
7. Copper
Pots and pans made from these materials are healthier choices because few, if any, toxic chemicals are used in their production.
When it comes to utensils, choose stainless steel, wood certified by the Forest Steward-ship Council (FSC), bamboo (a renewable resource), or other nonporous materials. Avoid plastic or silicone utensils, which may leach harmful substances.
Always be sure to use the right size pan or pot for the job. A smaller cooking surface requires less energy to heat; matching the vessel to the correct size burner consumes less energy.
seasoning a cast-iron skillet
Cast-iron skillets are inexpensive, and if you season them periodically, they will develop a surface that is almost nonstick. Seasoning a cast-iron skillet is simple. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the inside of the skillet with cooking oil (canola or vegetable oil is best) and bake the pan for 1 hour. Remove the skillet from the oven with an oven mitt, let cool until you can safely handle it, and dry it with a cloth. You can season the pan as often as you like to reinforce the nonstick surface. Or you can buy a preseasoned pan from Lodge Logic.
green cleaners
I could write pages on this topic. In fact, there are many books that go into great depth on the subject, including Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe and Healthy Non-Toxic Cleaning by Jeffrey Hollender, which I recommend.
Most chemicals in conventional cleaners include Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as well as carcinogenic chemicals. These are known to cause disease with consistent exposure, and the production of these cleaners contributes to global warming and pollutes our water systems.
Some people complain that the alternative—natural cleaners—don’t clean as well. But if you are willing to invest some time, I think you will find brands that really are effective. If natural cleaners are price prohibitive, make your own. Here is a list of simple household ingredients that make great cleaning substitutes for the harsher chemical versions. It is from Dr. Alan Greene’s book,