Going Green in the Kitchen

The NoteBaert Nature Museum hosts a multi-level Extreme Green House, inhabited by the fictitious and wacky Green family, who shows you how to be "green" in your bathroom, your basement, your dining room, and of course (the reason why we're here)...your kitchen.

Demonstrating landfill capacities, and displaying live rotting meals, museum experts offered loads of information from the simple recycling tip, to the science of composting. They showed us what bacterias were good and bad for us, as well as what cleaning products are more eco-friendly than others. They even sold a kit for making your very own cleaning products.

I didn't have the time to take in all of the Green family's great tips, but I was inspired to do more research about how one could consciously maintain a greener kitchen. From the simple tip, to more structural tips, here is what I found:

1. Induction cooktops - Heat is released directly toward the pan or pot only,. Not only does this save a great deal of energy, but the rest of the stovetop isn't hot.

2. Countertops made from recyclables - Supposedly sleek, these suckers would make for the truest green kitchen out there.

3. Use recyclable products AND recycle them - I am a hypocrite sitting in an office that uses styrofoam cups and plates, but I know that we should use paper so that it can be recycled. Go out of your way to purchase recyclable products, and make it your mission to recycle them! All paper can be recycled...even paper towels!

4. Water conservation - Never walk away while the faucet is on. Even if it's just for a second, it's not like electricity where it costs more to turn it on and off. It costs more to leave it running! Even though we're not always savvy to this fact, we really do need to conserve water in this country.