It’s becoming increasingly important for all of us as consumers to make environmentally responsible decisions. As a result, more and more of us are seeking new ways to cut waste and recycle at home.
If you’re looking to live a greener lifestyle, the kitchen is a good place to start as it’s typically the source of a lot of waste. Often, we throw things away from our kitchens that actually could be put to good use with a little thought. Here are eight things you should never throw away:
Jam jars
When you finish a jar of jam (or any other ingredient that comes packaged in a glass jar), you might automatically throw it away. But there are lots of uses for old jam jars. Give them a thorough wash and you can re-use them as a shaker for salad dressings, jars for making your own homemade preserves, or handy storage for DIY bits and pieces such as small nails and screws.
Eggshells
If your family loves eating eggs, you’ll probably have plenty of empty shells to dispose of. But before you throw them away, did you know that eggshells have lots of uses in the garden? Grind them up to make a fertiliser or sprinkle around the base of plants to deter slugs and snails.
Coffee grounds
Another great garden ingredient, coffee grounds make a good fertiliser and, just like egg shells, can be used around the base of plants to deter pests.
Vegetable peelings
Grab a mini compost collector for your kitchen worktop and you’ll never throw away vegetable peelings again. Simply collect throughout the day and then transport to your outdoor composter to create your own nutrient-rich homegrown compost.
Odds and ends
The odd carrot that’s past its best, half a potato, a rind of cheese; you might think there’s not a lot you can do with these random odds and ends but add them to a soup and you’ve got a great way to use up those little bits and pieces. Got odds and ends of fruit instead? Then whizz them up to make a delicious smoothie.
Broken pots
Don’t despair if you break a mug or plate; broken crockery is perfect for creating drainage at the bottom of large planters in the garden.
Bread
There’s nothing better than the taste of fresh bread but, after a day or so, your favourite loaf might be looking a little dry and less appealing. But unless it’s showing signs of mould (in which case you should throw it away), there are lots of things you can do with stale bread. Break it into chunks and toss with olive oil before popping in the oven to make tasty croutons or whizz up in a food processor to create breadcrumbs, which you can freeze, ready to use later.
Plastic bags
Countless reports are showing the damage caused to our oceans by plastic shopping bags that have been discarded. Always reuse plastic bags wherever possible and if you really need to throw them away make sure you do so responsibly so that they don’t end up in the sea.