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from trees, and most wind up in landfills. Paper towels seem irreplaceable for certain tasks, but you can significantly reduce their use in the kitchen. A decent sponge can last a long time—simply boil it for a few minutes to kill germs and odors. Use a wire rack instead of paper towels for draining fried foods. For cleaning, check out microfiber cloths, which can be used multiple times; they are available in hardware and home supply shops as well as natural grocers. If you have to use paper towels, use ones made from recycled paper. Paper towels can be composted too, so unless you have a large amount, there’s no need to throw them in the trash.

9. USE ALL OF YOUR FOOD

The average American household throws an estimated 14 percent of its purchased food into the garbage. This figure includes items that have never been opened, small amounts left in the bottoms of containers, and food that has simply gone bad. Clearly, there’s money and resources to be saved here. Keep useful scraps like chicken bones, shrimp shells, or vegetable trimmings, all of which can be made into flavorful stocks; you can even use apple cores, tomato trimmings, corn husks, mushroom stems, and cheese rinds: simply cover the ingredients with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. (Some scraps, however, like kale stalks, will become bitter, so do a little research if you’re new at making stock.) Try to shop practically, and only buy produce when you know you’ll have time to cook; fresh food can go bad quickly. Find out which parts of your produce are edible, and enjoy unsung tasty ingredients—such as beet greens, broccoli stalks, or squash seeds—that often get thrown away. And what you can’t use, compost.

10. SHOP IN BULK

Bulk shopping helps to eliminate excess packaging and saves money. Both traditional supermarket chains and boutique health food stores sell food in bulk, but it’s not an option in enough stores. If the store where you shop sells food in bulk, bring paper or plastic bags for items like bread, grains, and other dry goods. Standard half-pint-, pint-, and quart-size bulk containers can be reused for buying olives and other non dry bulk items. If you don’t own standard-size containers, bring glass jars or other portable containers. Make sure to weigh them and label them clearly with their weight measurements.

11. RECYCLE CANS

A trip to the supermarket means I come home with some recyclable containers, usually aluminum cans. It’s especially important to always recycle cans because it’s an extremely energy-efficient process: According to the Environmental Protection Agency website, recycling an aluminum can will save 95 percent of the energy needed to make the same can from its virgin source. That’s a pretty good ratio.

12. BIKE, WALK, OR TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Finish off your shopping trip with a walk, bike ride, or train ride home so as not to consume too much fossil fuel transporting groceries. While shoppers on foot certainly can’t stock up on groceries the same way that drivers can, they can benefit by making more frequent, smaller shopping trips, placing an emphasis on fresh, local, and seasonal foods. In most of the world, it’s customary to shop for food several times a week, but many Americans prefer to shop in fewer, bigger installments. It could be argued, though, that paying more attention to the foods you buy and devoting a bit more time to shopping and cooking can help you to slow down and appreciate the food on your table—as well as enjoy better health and a richer quality of life.

Why organic isn’t always the best choice

My catering clients often request that their food be “all organic.” To them, this means a guarantee that they will be eating the best food possible, and doing so with a clean conscience. I always explain that I will use as many organic ingredients as I can, but that my priority is buying local. Here’s why.

Most of the food I cook with comes from farmers who can’t afford to meet national organic standards, yet their food is often tastier and more pure than food that’s