How to Create a Sustainable Home Bar

If you are trying to promote sustainability in your home, there is a lot to do and creating a sustainable home bar is an appropriate place to start. Bartenders are now conscious about the environment and they strive to minimize waste. The same trend has been adopted in home bars. There is an increased preference for using vegetables, fruits, and herbs from their roots to the tips. Here are a few tips to create a sustainable home bar.

1. Avoid the Plastic

Home bars use lots of plastics. They include bottles and straws. There are lots of ways to replace your plastics. Choose recyclable paper straws or metal straws and avoid plastic bottles. Single-use plastics are very bad for the environment. Research suggests that the plastic in our oceans may outweigh the fish by 2050.

Even though replacing your plastics for glass, metal, or paper may seem like an insignificant step, it can make a big difference.

2. Visit the Farmers’ Market

One of the simplest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is by using fresh and seasonal ingredients. If you use ingredients that do not need to be refrigerated or transported for a long time, your carbon footprint will be reduced.

Using locally available fruits and vegetables you can have plenty of options. Do some research and find out what ingredients are locally available and how you can use them.

3. Reinvent, Reuse, and Repurpose

A zero-waste approach will help you minimize waste. You can use the same ingredients to make garnishes, syrups, and juices. Do not waste peels, clippings, or shells. Instead, find a way to use them.

Lime and lemon peels, for example, are great for syrups. On the other hand, leftover herbs can be used to garnish drinks. Empty coconuts, watermelons, or pineapples can be used instead of glasses.

4. Water Conservation

Conserving water in your home bar is a step towards promoting sustainability. Avoid leaving taps running and wait until your dishwasher is full to run it.

5. Dry Everything Up

Dehydrating all your ingredients is important when you need to make a sustainable drink. It increases the shelf-life of your ingredients and reduces waste. Dried up ingredients look great as well.

6. Minimize Ice Consumption

Making ice requires the use of both energy and water. If you use a lot of it, you will have an increased impact on the environment. Think of cocktails that require ice and avoid making them often. Limit the amount of ice you use when making them. Instead of buying bagged ice, make your own at home. The quality will be better and there will be less plastic in the trash.

Sustainability has become a buzzword in the hospitality industry but it is more than just a word. You can practice it in your home bar to minimize damage to the environment. There are many simple ways to create a sustainable home bar. Seek the help of Dawnvale if you need help creating a home bar that is both functional and sustainable.