Creating a Green Kitchen
February 29, 2012
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Scottsdale
• 0 Comments
Creating a Green Kitchen
Many of us have heard the term “going green,” but perhaps are puzzled how we can incorporate these eco-friendly alternatives to everyday life into our homes. Think about the places in your house where you typically are consuming the most energy. If you are an avid cook, or even if you simply cook one meal a day, throughout the entire process from stove to table, you are consuming energy each step of the way. As the general population has started to become more and more aware of the environment and sustainable practices, the culinary arts have largely begun to follow the trend. Many restaurants and cooking schools, like Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale location, advertise their green techniques proudly. So how can you make your own kitchen sustainable? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Efficient lighting: Perhaps the most “green” you can get, is by utilizing as much natural light as possible. If you are building or remodeling your kitchen, a skylight or a large window can help reduce the amount of electricity you are using. If this is not an option, or if you are cooking once the days become shorter and the nights seem to come sooner in the winter months, installing fluorescent bulbs can help cut down your electricity use. Today, it has become very easy to go to any hardware or grocery store and find energy efficient bulbs labeled as such. Use these as a guide to finding the type of fixtures that will work well in your space while also working well with energy efficient bulbs.
Flooring alternatives: You may have never considered that what you have on your kitchen floor is most likely far from green. Many types of tiles and flooring are treated with dangerous chemicals. Your best green alternatives can come from reclaimed materials or abundant natural ones like bamboo or cork.
Recycle: Instead of throwing everything in the trash, set aside a few separate bins for plastics, glass, paper and other recyclable materials. If you see the recyclable symbol on a can or any cardboard packaging, you have the ability to cut down on waste and give these materials a whole new purpose. Many communities, apartment complexes and even dorms offer special recycling bins for this exact purpose.
Compost: After you have set the recycling aside, take a look at what else you can reuse – your leftover food. If you have a garden, starting a compost pile is a great way to eliminate waste materials while turning “garbage” into “gardening gold”! Composting soil is rich and healthy and helps crops grow while making use of your leftover biodegradable scraps.
Paint: Paint, varnish and other finishing products have many chemicals that can be not only harmful to breath in, but also damaging to the Earth. Today many Earth-friendly paints exist on the market. Try incorporating these into your kitchen design instead of the highly toxic traditional paints.
These are just a few ways that you can turn your ordinary kitchen into an environmentally minded, green kitchen. If you attend Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale location or receive any type of culinary arts training, you will learn more about green cooking principles and their application in the culinary arts.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale offers culinary arts and patisserie and baking training programs in Scottsdale, Arizona. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Scottsdale for more information.
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.