#1 Set up a compost bin in your kitchen. Kitchen scraps are a goldmine for composting. Vegetables and plant-based scraps like banana peels, eggshells, tea bags, old bread offer a great source of nutrients. You can either pile up the compost in your outdoors or hand it over to municipal compost centers.

#2 Be mindful while grocery shopping. Buy products like cereals, rice, grains, beans, granolas in bulk. This way you reduce the consumption of disposable containers and plastic packaging required in single-servings. Additionally, fewer trips to the grocery store will help you cut down fuel consumption and save money.

Take your own reusable containers, like mason jars, to store loose items. Keep in mind the purpose of the jar and bring a suitable size accordingly.

Also, carry a reusable bag when heading out. You might be tempted to opt for disposable plastic bags, however, remember that there are simply too many disposable bags to recycle.

#3 Eat sustainably healthy food. As a matter of fact, food production contributes approximately 30% of the total greenhouse emissions and uses about 70% of freshwater. Eating mindfully by adopting sustainable eating habits will not only protect your body but also the planet.

Cutting down on meat and having plant-based meals are two crucial elements of eating sustainably. Read this guide on how to follow a sustainable diet and live an ethically healthy life.

#4 Replace paper towels and napkins with cloth towels. As opposed to plastic, paper is biodegradable; however, the fossil fuels involved in its production and transportation are not completely environment-friendly. Use reusable dish towels in your kitchen. They are washable and cost-saving compared to the disposable versions.

#5 Eat the uneaten. Did you know 40% of all the food goes to waste in the U.S.? Let’s change this habit and learn to love our leftovers. Scour the magical world of internet and you will find a gazillion leftover recipes on it. From potatoes to turkeys and seafood – leftover lovers can get their hands on every recipe right here.

#6 Switch to green kitchenware. There’s an entire world of reusable kitchenware made from bamboo and other eco-friendly alternatives out there. Of course, it requires a bit more on your part as you need to regularly clean the utensils since they are non-disposable. But, on the brighter side, you get to contribute your bit in saving the planet in a convenient and fashionable manner.

#7 Turn your grease to green. Do not dispose of leftover oil down the drain. Instead, donate it for recycling into biodiesel.

Yes, you heard that right! When combined with alcohol, vegetable oil and animal fat can be converted into biodiesel (an eco-friendly substitute for petroleum).

Inquire at the local restaurants near you if they participate in this kind of recycling program. There are several waste management initiatives and government aids that support leftover cooking oil recycling. Get rid of the grease and save nature!