Even though Hawaii is an expensive place to live, we waste so much daily in our food consumption, preparation and other kitchen care. You definitely can create an eco friendly kitchen and be budget conscious and at the forefront of eco consciousness and lifestyle in Hawaii. To stretch your dollars, check out the best way to save waste and create an Eco friendly kitchen for more inspiration.

Best ways to create an Eco friendly kitchen

Use your own bags and be eco savy outside the kitchen

Since there is a plastic ban and most paper bags are charged in Hawaii, most people are used to bringing their own reusable bags for any type of shopping. Many stores also offer a small incentive rebate for bringing your own bags. Make sure to have these in your car and a habit to bring anywhere you end up shopping for the day.

Look for packing that isn’t plastic, recyclable and eco friendly

You can look out for packaging that is less harmless and not plastic and an be recycled or repurposed. If you stay away from a lot of processed foods with extra packaging, you can find a range of products that support not plastic packaging efforts.

Stop single use products

You should try to not purchase single use or single use products that are wrapped and opt for buying in bulk or with no packaging products that you can store on your own in the kitchen

Buy in bulk

Try to buy the biggest size of a product so you don’t use a lot of smaller packaging

When you buy things in bulk like 20 pound bags of rice you end up using less packaging than smaller quantities of the same product. Think in larger size portions that you can store and use along with maybe saving some money by buying in larger bulk sizes.

Store your stuff in glass or other containers

Instead of plastic bags or aluminum foil to store food, use glass or other reusable containers. When you get home and make stuff in the kitchen, use your reusable containers or store your products or made goods In glass or plastic containers instead of repackaging into plastic or aluminum foil. This also applies to cooked foods and leftovers that you may typically wrap again in plastic or aluminum.

Filter and drink your own tap water

Not only is drinking your own water more cost effective and save from buying plastic bottled drinks from the environment, you can have better tasting water. An easy to install filtration system or even just a simple water container filter like the Brita Filters are an easy and cost effective solution to your water drinking needs. Complete catchment systems are popular and necessary in many remote areas of Hawaii that rely on rainwater systems that you can easily control and maintain.

Switch your light bulbs to LED

Switching to more energy efficient and longer lasting LED bulbs for your kitchen needs saves you more in the long term and avoids more waste in the garbage bins.

Choose energy efficient appliances and run dishwasher full

Use your appliances wisely when you need them to maximize your energy needs like running the dishwasher when it is full. Replace old appliances when they start wearing out to newer energy efficient models saves on energy consumption and usage in the kitchen.

Don’t throw food away

Always check what’s in the freezer or fridge to use before you go out shopping for food. Get creative and make things with the ingredients you have on hand and this will save you time, money and going out shopping.

Re-use or compost

Make foods with your scraps to create salsas, compotes and easy spreads with any of your throw away food or small leftovers that you have from previous meals. What you can’t reuse can just be composted and spread through the garden for nutrients to add into your garden

Grow your own kitchen garden

A fantastic way to save costs and also enjoy some fresh fruits and vegetables grown with your own efforts is not only budget friendly, but a fantastic way to be a part of the land and learning to grow your own food supply and what works well in your space. A kitchen garden can be as easy as a small group of pots, to a small plot and even a more productive garden that can supply all your perishable needs. Even raising chickens, ducks and live stock or even bees can be a fun way to supplement all your food needs.

Go to farmers markets

Buying directly from growers or resellers at the market and selling fresh grown on the island is a fantastic way of supporting the local economy and buying fresh produce and made on the islands food and other specialty foods. It’s always good to shop at a local farmers market in your area and develop relationships with local farmers and vendors that eventually give you more products or other freebies for your purchases and support.

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