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Building a Sustainable Kitchen - Naomi Hansen

Building a Sustainable Kitchen

A Journey from Why to How

(Autor)

Buch | Softcover
320 Seiten
2026
Touchwood Editions (Verlag)
978-1-77151-473-6 (ISBN)
CHF 41,90 inkl. MwSt
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"As I read Building a Sustainable Kitchen I felt hope rising. Not since the best-selling, awareness-raising, Diet for a Small Planet has an unassuming book been poised to revolutionize world views . . . The message here is needed, and needed urgently . . . If we are to have a livable world in one hundred years, we need to cook up a storm—both figuratively and literally. We need citizen action and community resilience and a kitchen is not a bad place to start!" —Elizabeth May, OC, MP, Leader of the Green Party of Canada


"A refreshing, down-to-earth guide that cuts through the noise and brings clarity to the conversation around sustainability at home. With a thoughtful, evidence-based approach, Naomi empowers everyday Canadians to take practical steps toward a greener kitchen, without guilt or overwhelm." —Lori Nikkel, Chief Executive Officer of Second Harvest




Building a Sustainable Kitchen is the thoroughly researched and realistic step-by-step guide every climate-conscious cook needs to make the heart of their home more planet-friendly.



When Canadian food writer Naomi Hansen first started a “sustainability” blog, she was overwhelmed by conflicting advice, shiny advertisements, unrealistic recommendations, and a culture of shame. Building a Sustainable Kitchen is her antidote: a solutions-focused, no-nonsense guide designed to help you cut through disinformation and greenwashing to make your kitchen truly sustainable, one step at a time.



In each chapter, Naomi invites you on her journey to build a planet-friendly kitchen, with help from her husband Paul and their dog Rue. Drawing on wisdom from hundreds of expert interviews, academic studies, books, and more, as well as on the author's own experience as a regular Canadian in her humble kitchen, Building a Sustainable Kitchen demystifies the science behind how what we do in the kitchen every day affects our Earth, and most importantly, shows you what you can do about it.



Each chapter contains a wealth of flexible recommendations for achievable, evidence-based changes that make a real impact for the planet. Chapters on reducing food waste, understanding plant-based, local, seasonal, and organic eating, and gardening teach us about the food on our plates. Chapters on the potential and pitfalls of composting and recycling, learning what it really means to send waste to a landfill, and navigating the nitty gritty of disposable and reusable items help us reduce garbage and grow toward a circular economy. From water use, to cleaning, to choosing appliances, to our beloved coffees and teas, Building a Sustainable Kitchen leaves no stone unturned. This heartfelt, practical guide proves that building a sustainable kitchen is not just possible, but that it can also be joyful and transformative.

Naomi Hansen is an author, writer, and editor. Her first book, Only in Saskatchewan (2022) was the winner of two 2023 Saskatchewan Book Awards—the First Book Award and the Book of the Year Award. She is a regular contributor for many publications, including Canadian Living and Chatelaine, and is also the Saskatoon Bites food columnist for CBC Saskatchewan. When she's not writing, Naomi enjoys reading, cooking, hiking, and travelling. She lives on Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with her partner, Paul, and their dog, Rue. Elizabeth May is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a politician, environmental activist, lawyer, author, Member of Parliament, and Leader of the Green Party of Canada. She served as a policy advisor to the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and, in 2011, she became the first Green Party Member elected to the House of Commons. May has served as leader of the Green Party from 2006 to 2019, co-leader of the party from 2022–2025, and is once again the sole leader as of February 2025.

Table of Contents




Foreword by Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament, Leader of the Green Party of Canada

Introduction


My Journey to Building a Sustainable Kitchen

Understanding Sustainability

Understanding Climate Change

Why Food and Kitchens

But Does Individual Action Really Matter?

How to Use This Book

The Journey Begins



Chapter 1: Food Waste


What Is Food Waste and Why Does It Even Matter?


What Food Waste Costs Us

What Food Waste Costs the Planet



What You Can Do


Take Stock: Build Awareness of Your Food Waste Habits

Take Stock Again: Check In with Your Fridge, Freezer, and Pantry Regularly

Plan Ahead, at the Store and at Home
Understand Best-Before Dates

Improve Your Food Storage Habits
Table: Consumer Best Before Timetable
Be Mindful of Food Waste Beyond Your Dinner Table



Takeaways



Chapter 2: Low-Waste Cooking


What You Can Do


Learn to Cook Intuitively with What You Have

Get Comfortable Substituting

Use Foods in Their Entirety

Find "Anything Goes" Recipes That Work for You

Repurpose Leftovers to Create Something Even Better



Takeaways



Chapter 3: What We Eat


The Impact of the Global Food System

Plant-Based and Animal-Based Foods by the Numbers


Chart: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across the Supply Chain



Beef and Other Ruminant Animals

What About Local or Sustainably Raised Food? How About Packaging?


Chart: Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Food Production



What About Fish and Seafood?

What About Dairy

The Prominence of Animal-Based Foods in Society

The Impacts of Plant-Based Foods

What You Can Do


Shift Toward a Plant-Based Diet

Take stock of Your Starting Point

Invite Your Loved Ones into the Process

Set Reasonable Goals

Start with What's Easiest for You

Learn to Cook with Plant-Based Protein

Prioritize Progress over Perfection and Reflect on the Process



Takeaways



Chapter 4: Local, Seasonal, Organic


Eating Local

Eating Seasonal

Why Eat Local and Seasonal?

Eating Sustainably Looks Different in Every Climate

Eating Organic


What Makes Food Organic?

Is Eating Organic More Sustainable?



What You Can Do


Reframe How You Think About Local and Seasonal Food

Visit a Farmers' Market Near Your

Subscribe to a CSA or Local Food Box

Buy Your Animal-Based Foods Local and Organic

Find Your Region's Unique Ways to Source and Support Local, Seasonal, and Organic



Takeaways



Chapter 5: Grocery Shopping


The Principles Behind Sustainable Grocery Shopping

What You Can Do


Create a Reusable Grocery Shopping Kit

Find a Bulk Bin Store Near You

Shop at a Zero-Waste Grocery Store

Buy in Bulk to Save on Packaging

Visit Individual Local Businesses

Subscribe to a Food-Saving Produce Box

Shop more Sustainably at a Conventional Grocery Store

Bonus: Apply These Principles to Everything You Buy



Takeaways

Sidebar: Does Sourcing Food Sustainably Cost More?



Chapter 6: Composting


How Does Composting Work?

Why Composting Helps Create a More Circular System

What You Can Do


Use Your Curbside Organics Collection Program—and Use it Well

Advocate for an Organics Program Near You

Choose a Home Composting Option

Bonus: Understand Compostable Plastics—but Keep Them out of Your Compost



Takeaways



Chapter 7: Recycling


A Brief History of Recycling

What Is Mechanical Recycling?

Which Materials Recycle Well?

The Challenge of Recycling Plastic


Types of Plastic—and How They Affect Recycling

The Economics of Recycling Plastic

The Challenges of Composite Plastics



Understanding Recycling Labels

Our Obsession With Recycling

What You Can Do


Go on a Recycling Tour

Follow the Waste Hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Then Recycle

Use the Recycling Services Available to You—and Use Them Well

Do Your Homework for Hard-to-Recycle Items



Takeaways



Chapter 8: Garbage


Defining Waste

A Brief History of Garbage

The Grim Reality of Landfills

Linear Versus Circular Systems

The Zero-Waste Hierarchy

What You Can Do


Replace Garbage with Landfill in Your Vocabulary

Take Stock: Do a Kitchen Garbage Inventory

Make Less Garbage

Consider Your Garbage Bag



Takeaways

Sidebar: My Experience Making Less Garbage—and the Limits of Individual Action



Chapter 9: Disposables and Reusables


Are Reusable Items Always More Sustainable?

The Zero-Waste Hierarchy: Zooming In on Refuse and Reduce

What You Can Do


Refuse: Use Up What You Already Have—and Then See What Happens

Implement the Zero-Waste Hierarchy in Your Kitchen

The Waste Hierarchy Categories

Learning to Think Zero Waste

Aluminum Foil and Pans

Dinnerware

Drink Receptacles

Paper Baking Products

Paper Napkins

Paper Towel

Plastic Wrap of Cling Wrap

Plastic Zip-Top Bags

Straws

Wax Paper



Takeaways

Sidebar: Share What Your Have



Chapter 10: Plastics


What Even Is Plastic? When Was It Created?

What Happens to Plastic Once It Becomes Waste?

Microplastics, Chemicals, and Us

Why Avoid Plastics

What You Can Do


Take Stock: Do a Plastics Inventory in Your Kitchen

Reduce and Avoid Plastics Moving Forward



Takeaways



Chapter 11: Coffee and Tea


The Environmental Impacts of Coffee

The Environmental Impacts of Tea

A Sustainable Morning Cuppa

What You Can Do


Buy Coffee and Tea That are More Sustainable

Take Stock: Clean Up Your Home Coffee and Tea Routine

Deliberately Reject Disposable Coffee Culture



Takeaways



Chapter 12: Gardening


Building My Sustainable Garden

What You Can Do


Start a Garden

Take Care of the Soil

Say No to Synthetic Pesticides and Fertilizers

Harvest Rainwater

Don't Buy a Bunch of New Garden Stuff

Consider End-of-Season Practices

Bonus: Rewild Your Green Space Using Native Plants



Takeaways



Chapter 15: Water


Water Use in Canada

What You Can Do


Waste Less Water When You Cook

Put Thought into Your Drinking Water

Check Your Kitchen Sink and Tap

Consider Your Dishwashing Habits



Takeaways



Chapter 14: Cleaning


What You Can Do


Take Stock: Do an Inventory of Your Kitchen Cleaning and Dish Products

Opt for Greener Cleaners

Try Cleaning with Household Ingredients

Evaluate Your Dish Soap

Evaluate Your Cleaning and Dishwashing Supplies



Takeaways



Chapter 15: Appliances


Appliances and Energy Consumption

Renewable Energy

What You Can Do


Use the Appliances You Already Have More Efficiently

Check for Phantom Power

Buy Large Appliances That Are Energy Efficient

Buy Small Appliances and Kitchen Gear Sparingly and Thoughtfully

Repair Your Appliances

Implement the Waste Hierarchy for End of Life



Takeaways



What’s Next? Building Sustainability Beyond the Kitchen


Sustainability in an Unsustainable Culture


The Most Sustainable Actions Are Not Always What They Seem

Individuals Can Make Sustainable Choices, but Systems Need to Catch Up

Sustainability Is an Ongoing Choice



What Is the Most IMpactful Action You Can Take From This Book?

What More Can You Do?

The Future Is in Our Hands



Acknowledgements

Resource List

Bibliography

List of Interviewees

List of Figures

Index

Erscheint lt. Verlag 29.7.2026
Vorwort OC May MP Leader of the Green Party of Canada Elizabeth
Zusatzinfo Simple line drawings for chapter openers
Verlagsort Victoria
Sprache englisch
Maße 152 x 228 mm
Themenwelt Sachbuch/Ratgeber Freizeit / Hobby Heimwerken / Do it yourself
Sachbuch/Ratgeber Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie Lebenshilfe / Lebensführung
Schulbuch / Wörterbuch Lexikon / Chroniken
Mathematik / Informatik Informatik Theorie / Studium
Naturwissenschaften Biologie Ökologie / Naturschutz
ISBN-10 1-77151-473-6 / 1771514736
ISBN-13 978-1-77151-473-6 / 9781771514736
Zustand Neuware
Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR)
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