The kitchen in many homes is the main room, as lots of time is spent here cooking eating entertaining, and spending time with family.

So it makes perfect sense to want to green this room in your home first, then follow suit with the rest of the house. Let’s take a look at the different things we can do to make the kitchen eco friendly.

Design – You can first start with the design, such as your walls flooring counter tops and cabinetry. Elect to use recycled materials for your cabinets counters and the floors. Repainting using VOC-free paint is a small and quick thing anyone can do to make their kitchen more healthy. When buying accessories, go local and get creative with the items you choose. Look at out green kitchen archives as we have covered a series of companies and products on this topic. These are a good bet.

Appliances – To conserve energy and water, look into appliances rated as efficient by Energy Star. Many kitchen appliances now carry this symbol of sustainability. Not only will you save energy but a nice drop in your utility bill is always nice. Begin your research online.

Dishware – This is a small step that can lead to big changes. The one thing you are going to want to avoid and or watch out for in your dishware and flatware is LEAD. Generally speaking most US brands are tested for suitable levels of lead, but the best way to secure your family from this toxin, is to use dishes made from glassware, ceramic, stoneware, bamboo, and or stainless steel. As for pots and pans, look out for TEFLON, this is the material used to coat pans so they are non-stick. However it has been reported in various established manuals, that this is a toxic material and should be avoided. Try iron and steel.

Cleaning – One easy and relatively inexpensive way to green your kitchen is to focus on the cleaning products you use. Many of the more popular brands of kitchen cleaning products have tons of unnatural chemicals which seep into the air we breathe. Over time this accumulates and is unhealthy for you and your family. Look for products made with all natural ingredients, vegetable ingredients, etc. Target has a wonderful line of eco cleaning products by the name of METHOD. Give those a try.

You can go all out and implement all of the above tips or you can begin by picking one area and working on that first. Also be sure to look at out green kitchen archives as we have covered a series of companies and products on this topic. These are a good bet.