Sustainability begins at home, especially in the kitchen.
You've probably experienced this before: you've just done your shopping and the yellow bin is already much fuller than it should be.
Or
The food you bought just a few days ago is dried out or wet from condensation and you would prefer to throw it away.
With a few small changes you can make a big difference. It's not about completely turning your life around overnight. It's about making conscious choices that have a positive impact on your environment. At SmacoGlas we believe that each of us has the power to make a change. Let's walk this path together.
We give you a few useful tips that you can easily integrate into your everyday life:
1. Buy locally and seasonally: Buying local products means short transport routes and therefore fewer CO2 emissions. Seasonal products are not only fresher and more nutritious, but also require less energy to grow in heated greenhouses.
By the way: The feeling of happiness when the strawberry season finally starts again is something that no amount of money in the world can buy. Consuming the right product at the right time requires willpower, but is rewarded with incredible enjoyment.
2. Plan your meals: By planning your meals, you can not only prepare well, but also avoid food waste and ensure that you only buy what you really need. Again, it's not about timing everything exactly, but more about getting a feel for how much you really need.
Especially when you plan your week or the next few days, you automatically notice: "Hey, there are potatoes on Monday, so I'll cook more and make fried potatoes on Tuesday!" This not only allows you to better plan the quantities you really need, but also uses synergy effects and saves energy.
3. Store your food properly: Proper food storage extends its shelf life. Where possible, use glass containers or beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap to keep food fresh in the fridge. Glass containers are less prone to condensation than plastic.
Make sure there is proper ventilation - hermetic sealing is not always the right thing, as organic materials need to breathe. That's why we have specially developed our stackable cold cuts box for your cold cuts. This way you always have the perfect storage for cold cuts, cheese and delicatessen salads for up to 2 weeks! For other boxes without special ventilation, it helps if the lid is just loosely placed on top.
4. Compost kitchen waste: Honestly, you can do this on a small scale even on your balcony. Instead of throwing away organic waste, start a compost heap. This reduces waste, the cost of collection and at the same time provides valuable fertilizer for your garden or balcony.
5. Use energy-efficient appliances and utensils: Invest in energy-efficient kitchen appliances and high-quality utensils that give you real added value without being a burden. This way you not only save electricity, but also money and hassle.
6. Avoid disposable products: Use reusable bottles, jars and bags. There are now a lot of products that are packaged in glass or reusable packaging or are even completely unpackaged. Here, too, we recommend our SmacoGlas concept for your fresh produce purchases. The combination of boxes, seals, fixings and the padded and insulated bag makes shopping very easy.
This not only saves you packaging waste, but also time: you have your boxes filled directly at the counter and put the entire stack of boxes straight into the fridge. Because the boxes are made of solid glass and the bag is extra lined, your shopping stays cool for a long time, so that the cold chain is maintained uninterrupted.
7. Clean in an environmentally friendly way: Use natural cleaning products or make your own using vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda. Here are a few "recipes":
All-purpose cleaner:
- Lemon vinegar cleaner: Fill a jar with lemon peels and pour vinegar over them. Close the jar and let it sit for two weeks. Then strain the vinegar and dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:1. You can use this cleaner on almost all surfaces .
Oven cleaner:
- Baking soda and water: Mix 150 g of baking soda with 250 ml of water and 50 ml of organic dishwashing liquid. Apply the mixture to the surfaces to be cleaned and heat the oven to 200 °C for half an hour. Then let it cool down and remove the crusts with a brush or sponge.
lime remover:
- Vinegar: Heat some vinegar and soak a cloth in it. Place the cloth on the limescale and let it soak for a while. You can then easily wipe off the limescale.
Glass cleaner:
- Vinegar and water: Mix vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:4. This solution is ideal for cleaning windows and other glass surfaces without leaving streaks.
The idea of making your kitchen and your life more sustainable is not just about protecting the environment, but also about freeing yourself from the burdens that accumulate in our lives. Those who design sustainably make more conscious decisions and enjoy more.
Remember that every conscious decision you make has a positive impact - on your health, your home and our planet. We at SmacoGlas are proud to accompany you on this journey and work with you to create a lighter and more livable world.
Start today and be the change you want to see in the world. Because every contribution counts and together we make a difference.
