Making Our Galley Greener
What started as a little grassroots movement in Western Australia in 2011 has grown into a global phenomenon. This year, Plastic Free July will see millions of people around the world pledge to be more aware of their plastic use and “ choose to refuse”. Plastic Free July is part of a strong push across Australia to reduce our use of plastics and with good reason.
“Virtually every piece of plastic ever manufactured still exists in some form today,” says Executive Director and Founder of the Plastic Free July Foundation, Rebecca Prince Ruiz. “Plastic, particularly single-use plastic or ‘throw-away’ plastic items, are not getting recycled effectively and are having a detrimental impact on our environment.”
The Single-Use Plastic Challenge
The average plastic bag is used for just twelve minutes and the thrown out. The following 6 items are strictly designed for single use however they are easily swapped for alternatives. But there are so many hidden single use plastics that are part of our everyday life that are difficult to avoid.
- Plastic shopping bags - reusable cloth bags
- Plastic water bottles - refillable metal bottles
- Plastic straws - metal straws
- Plastic takeaway containers - bamboo containers
- Plastic coffee cups - biodegradable cups
- Plastic cutlery - bamboo cutlery
Can you take part in the “Galley Challenge” and discard the single use plastics? Our Galley is up for this challenge and even though I feel we do a pretty decent job I want to put the pudding where the mouth is and make Our Galley a cleaner greener space.
So how am I going to take on this challenge in Our Galley. I believe an eco-friendly Galley begins with not only throwing out plastics but eating green, but it doesn't end there. Energy-efficient food preparation and cleaning habits, using equipment made from sustainable materials, and dodging toxic chemicals are also important if I want to have a truly healthy Galley and reduce our one use plastic. Fortunately, making the right choices for our well-being is also good for the Sailing Kitty and the planet.
Keep in mind the following when moving forward on your plans for Plastic Free July.
Minimise: Use less, conserve more. What can you use less of? Makeup, toilet paper, printer paper, etc just to name a few. Well maybe not toilet paper ...
Maximise: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. Basically, get the most out of your clothing, food, personal energy, resources, etc.
Prioritise: Make time for what matters. Eliminate things that don't. Don't waste time, money, energy, or resources on the wrong things. Do you know what matters most to you?
To say plastic pollution is a widespread problem is not doing it justice:
Only about 9% of all plastic ever made has likely been recycled with 12% of all plastic waste having been incinerated. The remaining 79% has accumulated in either landfill or the natural environment if not still in use.
One million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year from plastic pollution in our oceans.
In one study I read, nearly 93 percent of people tested positive for BPA, a potentially harmful chemical present in plastic products.
Think the problem is too big for you and I to make an impact?
Think again.
One of the best ways to fight plastic pollution is to live by example and ensure the products you buy are produced with both ethics and the environment in mind.
Also, don’t forget to share the journey with your friends and family. The more friends you convince, the more people you share articles with, the more people will begin using environmentally friendly products in their everyday lives, and that is how we change the world. Use social media to show the world you are making the change, by showcasing products that you are using. You alone can make a huge impact on others.
I know I am speaking to the converted in our sailing community but have we really changed our plastic use habits or have we just scratching the surface. Using market bags and changing to glass and stainless steel in the Galley is a great start. But is your Galley up for the challenge.
Emptying out Our Galley’s lockers has certainly been an eye opener. Even though we try to purchase eco friendly products, items such as these still tend to slip into our use.
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| As much as we try so many products that we use everyday come in packaging that in bad for the environment. |
I’ve put together this list of eco friendly ideas to remind me just how easy it can be to replace some of the plastic products purchased and reduce our energy footprint. I would love you to add your ideas to this list. You can do this by visiting Our Galley blog and adding your ideas in the comment area provided.
So here are some basics to start our journey.
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| We are trying to outfit Our Galley with more eco products |
Make It Last
Choose cookware and utensils that stand the test of time and won't have to be thrown away with your leftover casserole. That means you gotta ditch the Teflon. Go for stainless steel or cast iron instead. Though a bit of an investment, a good cast iron skillet will last for generations. I am currently using my late mother-in-law’s skillet pan in Our Galley and I wouldn’t be without it, she had it for as long as I can remember, same with my whisk it was my Nana’s. These items have stood the test of time. Likewise, choose sturdy utensils rather than cheap ones; low-quality wooden spoons, for example, can rot, and plastic will melt if you leave it on the stove too long. Buy high-quality knives that you can sharpen by hand, and use long-lasting cloth towels instead of paper.
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| Good quality stainless steel and cast iron I feel are the best in Our Galley |
Silicone bakeware can be reused. It allows you to replace disposables like paper muffin tins and baking paper — but both of those can go in the compost. Silicons aren’t biodegrade and can’t be recycled, so be sure this is the product for you.. For now, silicone is a safer alternative to non-stick cookware treated with perfluorooctanoic acid. Silicone bakeware is heat-resistant and safe for the oven and freezer. It doesn’t change flavours or release odours that might affect food quality. It’s believed to have low toxicity and thermal stability. It’s also non-stick and easy to clean. One safety tip: Use food-grade silicone products at recommended temperatures — not above 220C.
Silicone stretch wraps ... yes the ones we are replacing cling wrap with can also be used in the oven instead of baking paper. Do it with me now - s-t-r-e-t-c-h!!!!
Energy-Efficient Cooking
If you're roasting or baking something that's a little flexible when it comes to cooking time, you can turn the oven off five or ten minutes early, and let dishes finish cooking in the residual heat. Making as best use of the oven as possible ... cooking more than one thing at once, for instance ... is also wise. When cooking on the stove, using a properly sized pot for each of the stove burners also makes a difference;, for example, a 15cm pot used on an 20cm burner wastes more than 40 percent of the burner's heat. Make sure all of your pots and pans have close-fitting lids, then use them whenever possible. Of course, the most energy efficient cooking means leaving heat out of the equation altogether ... and this is where we can use our solar and thermos cookers.
A ThermosCooker is a cooking utensil which consists of usually two containers, one inner clad stainless steel pot (for direct heating) and the outer vacuum insulated container for heat preserved cooking. You simply assemble your ingredients into the inner pot and heat on a stove. After it comes to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer to outer container, close and that's it. The heat is retained to continue slowly cooking your food for hours without any constant attention.
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| Our Galley can't survive without the thermos cooker |
A solar cooker is a device which uses the energy of direct sunlight to heat, cook or pasteurize drink and other food materials. Many solar cookers currently in use are relatively inexpensive, low-tech devices, although some are as powerful or as expensive as traditional stoves, advanced, large-scale solar cookers can cook for hundreds of people. Because they use no fuel and cost nothing to operate, many nonprofit organizations are promoting their use worldwide in order to help reduce fuel costs (especially where monetary reciprocity is low) and air pollution, and to slow down the deforestation and desertification caused by gathering firewood for cooking.
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| Solar Cookers are not new to the market and can be a very useful addition. (photo sourced from the web) |
Do It Yourself
Avoid purchasing pre-packaged, pre-prepared, frozen foods, and make them yourself, at home; many meals are made to be frozen and reheated without any loss in taste or quality. This option also cuts out steps of your food's lifecycle and the associated energy in processing and transportation that comes from each step. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh bread baking in the Galley or a fresh batch of cookies straight from the oven.
Don't stop the DIY train there, though: Yoghurt is so easy to make and you can make a healthier version using no sugar and fresh fruit. Make your own breakfast cereal again you will know what is going into it without the hidden sugars. Mayonnaise, Peanut Butter, Pesto, Mustard and Pasta Sauce can all be easily made reusing the same jar over and over. And for those more adventurous cheese making is not that difficult as you may imagine.
You could even buy a sodastream to make your own soft drinks. Reducing the number of plastic bottles you use. I even know of many cruisers that home brew beer not only saving them money but recycling their beer bottles is keeping them out of landfill.
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| Soda Streams have been around for decades. They were once a very fashionable item to have on your bar. unfortunately they feel out of fashion. Can you image how many bottles would of not gone to landfill if they remained fashionable. |
Buy Local
The food you bring into your Galley is just as important as the equipment you have, so buy local whenever you can. Buying fresh fruits and vegetables in the dead of winter may seem harmless enough, but where and how was your food grown, how did it get to the store, and how is it packaged? Food miles have risen near the top of eco-friendly food considerations, and the fewer miles from farm to table, the better. We always try to buy from Local farmers' markets or purchasing directly from farmers themselves.
Buy organically when you can. If you cannot afford the organic price tag, consider going organic on a few staples such as milk, peanut butter, and apples. Also consider buying sustainable foods because they are grown in ways that minimize their environmental impact.
For fruit and vegetables I use mesh bags they come in assorted sizes for separating out all kinds of fruit and vegetables. I store the produce in the bags in the refrigerator or in my fruit hammock not needing to re handle or repackaged. You can find these BAGS online here
Ask your local butcher to provide their meat in already cryovaced packing ready for your freezer or supplied with no plastic.
Bulk Up
Buy in bulk and cook in bulk; just make sure you can consume what you purchase and produce! Purchasing from the bulk bins mean less packaging, and fewer trips to the store, and can also mean financial savings. Products we use instead of ziplock bags. For purchase like grains, nuts, lentils I use calico bags designed for bulk food shopping - basically for anything that would slip through a mesh or other bags, you just scoop your produce straight into these lightweight bags and take them home. Once emptied into your storage containers they are easy to wash and reused, for their lifetime. Bulk cooking is a more efficient use of appliance energy and your time. And plan ahead; planning meals that can feed you and your family for a few days is a great way to provision efficiently and free up your precious leisure time.
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| Calico bags are great for your bulk buys of nuts, grain, dried fruit and spices. |
Waste Not, Want Not
On average, the Galley generates the most waste of part of your boat; for one of the main reasons, look no further at the excessive packaging on supermarket shelves. But fear not, it's not as hard as it may seem to cut back on waste. Step one: refuse excessive packaging by taking your own bags, buying fresh, unwrapped produce. Reuse what you can, like old glass jars or bottles, grocery bags, and packaging you can't avoid. Ask yourself?
- Do I really need it?
- How can I buy this with the least amount of packaging?
- How can the packaging be reused?
- Is recycling the packaging worth it?
- Can I make it myself?
Eat me First
Create an “Eat Me First” or fridge triage box. While it may look ridiculously – yes, it’s just a box with a sign on it – this device acts as a surprisingly effective visual cue that changes the way you view the food in your fridge. Just place all of your more easily perishable or close to expiring eats in the box and teach the other crew members to check out the items in the box first when they open the fridge.
Not confusing “best before” with “expired” will lead to these three things:
- You’ll waste less food.
- You’ll save money.
- You’ll avoid sending food waste to the landfill.
However, much of what we do to live green isn't something that fits on a list of ideas. In our every choice, we need to decrease our footprint. We have all learnt the basics by turning off the tap a few seconds faster or choosing not to use a light whenever possible. By purchasing energy efficient technology and appliances. Using solar, wind and water to generate our power. But there are things that we can be doing better, and food waste is one of the biggest problems we have usually because we have bought it packaged and then dispose of this packaging and then the food waste is disposed of in another form of packaging.
Use your offcuts in other meals
The skills, knowledge and common practice of cooking with scraps were lost with the introduction of ready-made food. Many of use throw away meat offcuts, peel and seeds without thinking about how we could put them to better use than just sitting in our bin.
Erin Rhoda’s author of Waste Not says “There are many ways you can cook your discarded bits and turn them into amazing dishes fit for kings and queens,” she continues “Have you tried adding broccoli stems to a Bolognese sauce? Or did you know potato skins make the most delicious potato crisps? Stocks and stews are a great way to use up your tops and tails for carrots and onions and there are so many ways you can use citrus skin!”
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| More about Preserving |
Preserve / freeze your excess
Apart from buying less, you can also dry, bottle, or freeze your fruits, vegetables and herbs. This way, you’re not wasting anything and you have a range of ingredients on hand – even if it’s not in season to buy fresh. If you’re preserving food from farmers markets it’s good to minimise your produce’s standing time between being picked and preserved is key to retaining the highest nutritional content. Preserving has a positive impact on sustainable living, by reducing packaging and waste.
One of my favourite preserves comes from Simply Nigella
Pickled Carrots
2 large carrots, peeled
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
3/4 cup cold water
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp sea salt flakes or kosher salt
2 bay leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 cardamom pods
1 jar with vinegar-proof lid
Peel carrots and cut them into matchsticks. Put them into a nonmetallic bowl or large measuring cup.Combine vinegar, water, honey, salt, bay leaves, mustard, and fennel seeds in a saucepan. Crush or crack the cardamom pods and put them in too. Bring to a boil, then take the pan off the heat and stir to make sure the salt is dissolved. Pour the liquid over the carrots and leave for about 1 hour to reach room temperature, then refrigerate for another hour before eating.
Meal planning
No one likes sitting down on the weekend and planning your week in meals, but thinking about what you’re going to use each week can certainly help cut down on food wastage – and save a dollar or two.
“I always find it really useful to carefully check my fridge and lockers when planning meals, on Our Dreamtime we have an excel spreadsheet that helps me keep track of our provisions. Also check your food labels and use up items that are close to expiry. Think about these things first when you’re planning your meals so you can use up your existing food items and save money by purchasing less. Move these items to your everyday pantry locker so it reminds you to use before refuse'.
Here are a few ideas on how to use some of the regular produce that is throw out.
Broccoli stems
Sometimes the stem is as big as the head, so I like to use the stem in stir-frys, soups, pesto or make the most delicious broccoli chips, I also love adding broccoli stems to spaghetti bolognaise.
Onion skins
Onion skins are awesome in soups and slow cookers because they retain the flavour of the onion and are still nutritious. You can even boil the skins for 20 minutes to make an infused water, which is said to help with leg cramps. Just remove the skins from the water and drink the liquid before bed. Just remember breathing on your partner in close quarters may end all romance on the high seas.
Pineapple core
Use the core of a pineapple in vegetable, chicken or fish stock to add some sweetness. Use it as a stuffing for a roast chicken or add it to curries for sweetness. You can even use it up in a jam recipes because pineapple core acts like a natural pectin. Lemon pips are also a great natural source of pectin.
Herb stalks
So often we think the stalks of herbs aren't edible, but they can be. Chop up your stalks just like you do the leaves herbs and add them to stocks, soups, spaghetti sauces or stews.
Green Galley’s Can Be Clean Galleys
The list of what goes into regular petrochemically-based dishwashing liquids, detergents, is enough to turn anyone's stomach. Fortunately there are plenty of natural cleaning companies out there producing non-toxic, biodegradable, plant-based detergents And as I mentioned in the Do It Yourself tip above, you can always create your own cleaning products using everyday ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda, which combine to make a great all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner.
Despite what the commercials may say, all your natural household cleaners can be made simply, and naturally with just a few inexpensive products:
We go through bottles of soap like they’re going out of fashion – but have you ever thought about what happens to the container when you throw it out? Well, it most likely goes to landfill.
Combat the amount of waste you create on a daily basis by using bars of soap instead,” Erin recommends. “A little hack: dilute the bar in boiling water and re-fill your liquid dispenser if you can’t go without a pump pack.”
White vinegar inhibits the growth of bacteria by creating an unfriendly, acidic environment. It's preferred over apple cider vinegar since it won't stain, is completely non-toxic and it's easy to use.
Baking soda acts as a natural abrasive/scouring agent, deodorizer and cleanser and is gentle enough to use on nearly every surface.
Olive or jojoba oil will polish furniture and oil wood without harmful additives. They are also less likely to go rancid.
Hydrogen peroxide will help remove stains naturally and easily. Always be sure to check for color-fastness before use.
Soap Nuts are a berry-like fruit harvested from a tree. They contain saponins, which clean anything from clothing to dishes, even hair!
Essential Oils are a perfect addition to any natural cleaner, especially those with cleansing and purifying properties, and when you want to add aroma but avoid harmful "perfumes" that increase your toxic load.
Scrub your toilet with vinegar and baking soda. Cut through greasy countertops with the power of baking soda. Use baking soda to get rid of grease and freshen laundry. Vinegar can clean the head, Galley, and other areas such as timber floors and teak on the boat.
Here are some recipes for you to try next time you are wanting to clean:
- All-Purpose Cleaner – Mix equal parts of distilled white vinegar with water. Add essential oils if desired.
- Floor Cleaner – Mix 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar with one gallon of warm water in a bucket. Sweep floors then apply vinegar mixture using a mop. Let air dry.
- Bathroom Scrub – Mix 1/4 cup of baking soda with one tablespoon of Castile liquid soap. Add distilled white vinegar and mix until the texture is creamy and smooth.
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Pour one cup of borax in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight. In the morning, give it a quick scrub with a brush and flush for a quick and easy toilet clean.
- Silver Cleaner – Mix three parts baking soda with one part water and rub on silver to restore shine. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth.
- Goo Remover – Mix two parts borax with one part water. Rub on sticky labels or residue until clean.
- Carpet Refresher – Mix one cup of baking soda with 10 drops of your preferred essential oil (lemon or lavender are great options). Sprinkle over the carpet and let sit overnight. Vacuum it up in the morning for a refreshing clean. For small messes, like pet urine, try using a handheld vacuum to make the job quick and easy!
- Washing Machine Cleaner – Add one cup of distilled white vinegar to the drum of your washer. Add 1/4 cup of baking soda (to the detergent area if using a front-load washer). Run cycle as usual to clean the machine.
- Towel Refresher – Mix one cup of baking soda with one cup of vinegar and add it to a load of smelly towels. This natural cleaning combo will help to get the funk out of old towels and add a little extra softness.
- Laundry Booster – Mix 1/2 cup of borax with a gallon of warm water. Pre-soak laundry in the solution for about 30 minutes before running your cleaning cycle as usual.
- Coffee Maker Cleaner – Run one cup of distilled white vinegar through the water reservoir of a coffee maker to purge the machine of grime or bacteria.
- Drain Deodoriser – Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. Wait 15 minutes and then pour hot water down the drain to clear residue.
Clothes Pegs
How many times have you gone to grab an item of clothing off the safety lines to find it hanging precariously by one peg? And the other has broken creating a mess and unnecessary plastic pollution. Probably too many times to count. Well make it the last time it happens and score yourself some Stainless Steel Pegs! Stainless Steel Pegs will last you a lifetime.
Unpaper Towels
Paper towels are great. They can quickly clean up almost any spill, and they’re affordable and easily replaceable. They are useful in keeping vegetables dry in wet boat fridges. But they’re also not the best for the environment. While some messes may require a disposable towel, most could be taken care of with a reusable one stuff as these Un-Paper Towels.
Install a foot pedal
Most of us will already be hand washing our dishes, this can actually use more water than we think. A smart way to control the amount of water you’re using is to install a foot pedal-activated faucets. If you think about how much water we waste when just washing one dish because there’s no way to turn the water off with our hands full, it’s easy to see how handy it would be to be able to control the water flow with our feet. Rinsing fort in salt water and using the minimal amount of fresh hot water will save water and the amount of soap in return saving the amount of packaging.
What is the difference between degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags?
If you’d like to switch to an eco-friendly option, plant-based plastic bags are the answer. The key here is understanding the difference between degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags.
“Degradable is basically as bad as normal plastic,” explains Tracey Bailey, founder of leading Australian eco-retailer, Biome. “It has an extra substance in its make-up that allows it to break down more quickly into tiny pieces of plastic, and so they just become microplastics in the environment. I would definitely encourage people to look for plastic bags that are made of plant starch, not petrochemicals”.
Set up a composting system
Saving water and energy is high on any sailors the list but when you consider how much food we waste – much of the greening we can do in the galley has to do with conserving or repurposing our food scraps. Composting does take some time and patience and is more difficult on a boat ... but there are many products out there to simplify compost indoors, try an odor-minimising. You can always dispose of your compost at any destination you visit as you are enriching the soil and environment.
There is also the a system called fermentation composting. Bokashi, is a ‘fast’ composting process that in small and would fit neatly underneath most Galley sink lockers. This composting system works is through a fermentation process that activates microbial activity to ferment organic waste. You can even use this process for everything that worms don’t eat, such as acidic foods such as citrus, onions, tomatoes etc. All meat products, bread and dairy can also be put into a Bokashi.
Invest in quality food storage containers
Plastic wrap and tin foil may seem like conveniences but they’re wasteful and, let’s admit it, kind of annoying to use. Reusable covers like these silicone covers to store leftovers with zero waste and no hassle, you just pop the lid on and stick ’em in the fridge. Plus, unlike a box of clingwrap, they’ll last you a lifetime.
If you’re looking for other eco-friendly products to use as an alternative, check out Bee’s Wax Wraps.
Bee’s Wrap is an eco-friendly reusable food wrap. It comes in many different sizes. It is easy to make yourself you can check out the complete guide to Bee's wax wraps.
Reusable Kitchen Storage Bags
Consider investing in eco-friendly products like reusable kitchen storage bags. More durable than ziplocks, reusable kitchen storage bags create airtight seals that keeps your food secure whether fresh or frozen. You can use them to freeze food and microwave food (yes, they’re microwave safe). Some are even safe to use in the sous vide!
Coffee Socks
Are you a coffee addict? The CoffeeSock filter is a reusable alternative to nylon sacks and paper filters. Its organic cotton material absorbs some of the oil let off by the coffee beans and allows acids to pass through. The result is a rich cup of coffee with all the acid of paper brewed coffee but without the paper taste. We have a stainless steel thermos coffee plunger it works in two ways making a great coffee but keeps the next cup piping hot.
Tea Press
If you’re a coffee drinker, we told you how to go green with the CoffeeSock. But what if you’re a tea drinker instead? Unless you buy from an environmentally-friendly company which uses unbleached bags, most of us consume clean, white tea bags that are the result of intensive chemical processes. Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered with the tea press it features a stainless steel filter with a silicone plunger, very similar to our coffee plunger. You simply fill the filter with leaves, let seep, press, and then the plunger traps the leaves at the bottom of the filter with no more access to water. This allows the tea itself to be recycled and reused.
So my next challenge will be in the heads I actually believe it will be harder to rid the bathroom of plastics than it is the rest of the boat but here one little change I am making straight away. Ah, handkerchiefs. Most people think they are a thing of the past, but they are in fact still very common in Asia! I remember when I was in primary school, every morning the teacher would check that we had all of our books for lessons, our hair was tied back – and a handkerchief! Well done Mr Smickoff!
All of these daily choices may seem overwhelming if you're trying to implement all right now, but with time and patience they work together to simplify our lives...and yeah, create that life that we actually want to sustain.
"Don’t be to hard on yourself by succumbing to environmental guilt... every small step you take is a step in the right direction". Karen Oberg
Resources ... Thank you to the wonderful people that are helping us to a greener safer planet.
Plastic Free July Foundation
Waste Not by Erin Rhoda’s
Landcare Australia
Sea Shepard
Plastic Free by Beth Terry
Plastic A toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel
Mountain Rose Herbs
Biome
Nigella Lawson
“Make a Big Difference By Throwing Away Less” Erin Rhodas
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