Spoon University x Scotch-Brite®
As a foodie, your kitchen is a place for expressing your creativity, entertaining with friends, and, of course, enjoying delicious food. But all that cooking and dining can come with a lot of waste in the form of leftover food scraps, used paper towels, empty bottles of cleaning products, and more. Luckily, just a few simple swaps can help you make your kitchen more sustainable, and with Earth Month happening this month, there’s no better time to start making them!
Whether you’re filling your fridge with locally-grown produce or switching your cleaning supplies to eco-friendly alternatives (p.s., Scotch-Brite's Greener Clean™ collection has some amazing options you can shop here!), even the smallest steps can have a positive impact on the planet. In honor of Earth Month, try out these easy swaps to make your kitchen cleaner and greener!
1. Choose Green Cleaning Supplies
You may think of washing dishes and scrubbing down countertops as necessary chores following a cooking or baking sesh. However, they’re also great opportunities to incorporate some sustainability into your daily routine. All you have to do is choose cleaning products that are intentionally made with eco-friendly materials, and the Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean™ collection has everything you need. Here are a few of our kitchen cleaning favorites:
Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean™ Dishwand
Dishwands are a great way to keep your hands out of the mess while you’re scrubbing down pots, pans, and other kitchen items. This one is durable, aesthetically pleasing, and eco-friendly, featuring a scrubber made with 50% recycled plastic and a handle made with 40% plants and recycled content.* Plus, it lets you control how much soap you need with the push of a button, so you don’t have to keep reaching to grab more.
Shop Now, $10
*Dishwand handle made with 30% recycled content and 10% plant-based material.
Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean™ Bottle & Straw Brush Set
Your emotional support water bottle helps you live a more sustainable life — and now cleaning it can be more sustainable, too! This Bottle & Straw Brush set is made from 55% plants and recycled content*, including plant-based bristles. The brush head is perfect for scrubbing those hard-to-reach corners in insulated, mugs, water bottles, and blenders, and it even comes with a smaller brush for cleaning reusable straws!
Shop Now, $10
*Bottle Brush made from 25% recycled content and 30% plant-based material.
Scotch-Brite® Greener Clean™ Scrub Sponge
Say “goodbye” to sticky spills on your counters and food remnants on your cookware, and say “hello” to your new kitchen holy grail. This award-winning sponge is durable enough to remove stubborn messes yet gentle enough for use on all surfaces, so you don’t have to worry about scratching your favorite pan. The Greener Clean™ Scrub Sponge is also dye-free and made with sustainable materials like scrubbing fibers made from recycled content.
Shop Now, $5
2. Buy Local Produce
The ability to get produce from all over the world is undoubtedly one of the perks of living in the modern world. However, the fuel it takes to get items from where they’re made to where they’re purchased can contribute to carbon emissions — especially when it comes to transcontinental and global shipping.
Purchasing produce that’s grown where you live (or nearby!) can be a great alternative with a smaller carbon footprint. So, if it’s accessible to you, consider swapping your weekly grocery store run with a trip to a local farmers market. It doesn’t hurt that farmers market vibes are always *immaculate*.
3. Skip The Paper Towels
I’ll admit it: I used to use way too many paper towels, often going through a whole roll every few days. After a little reflection on my environmental impact, I knew it was time to make a change. I stopped re-purchasing paper towels, and when I needed to wipe up a spill or dry something down, I started reaching for dish towels and sponges instead.
I’m proud to say that I haven’t purchased a new roll in months, so if you need a sign to switch to more eco-friendly options, this is it. I’ve found that sustainably made sponges and towels work just as well (if not better) than paper towels, and they can be reused multiple times, which is good for the planet and your wallet.
Another great alternative? Scotch-Brite® Greener Clean™ Reusable Sponge Cloths. Just one sponge cloth can outlast 20 rolls of paper towels, and they can be cleaned in the dishwasher or washing machine!
Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean™ Reusable Sponge Cloths
Shop Now, $11
4. Use Refillable Cleaning Products
All-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, sanitizing sprays, scouring powders — with so many different cleaning products available for your kitchen, your cabinets can quickly start to look like the cleaning aisle at your local grocery store. And while keeping a pristine kitchen is great, many of these products come in single-use packaging.
Instead of buying bottles that have to be thrown away once empty, try switching to refillable cleaning products. Typically, you’ll purchase a glass spray bottle to use along with product refills in the form of concentrated liquids, dissolvable tablets, or powders. Just put them in your spray bottle and follow the instructions to create a cleaning solution that cuts down on plastic waste in a big way!
5. Compost Your Food Scraps
We’ve all been there: You stocked up on a bunch of fresh produce at the store, only to completely forget about it in your fridge. Instead of tossing expired or leftover food in the trash, why not give it new life by composting it? Vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels, stale bread, and more can all be placed in a compost bin or pile, where they’ll turn into a nutrient-rich mixture that can be used as plant fertilizer.
Don’t have an outdoor space or room for a compost bin in your kitchen? You may be able to take compostable materials to a local farmers’ market, community garden, or composting site. Just store food scraps in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to drop them off!
With these simple swaps, your journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle starts in the kitchen. Head to Target to stock up on eco-friendly sponges, dishwands, and more from the Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean™ collection!
This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% from Spoon University.