Tag Archives: recycling
Carrot Top
A while back we re-posted a photo from The Healthy Hybrid on Facebook suggesting that you could “recycle” vegetables by re-growing the scraps. One of those was the tops of carrots.
We should point out that implementing those ideas will not result in new vegetables, but rather small shoots. However, those shoots are edible and can be used in cooking. They’re also a fun project for children, who enjoy monitoring the daily growth in their little “garden.”
Carrot tops are edible and nutritious, rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. They are high in potassium, which can make them a little bitter, but they can easily be mixed in with a green salad, sprinkled on soups, or even used to make pesto or a detox tea.
If you want to make a little carrot top “garden” with your kids it’s quite simple. You’ll need some kind of container (like a plastic take-away box), some pebbles, and some carrot tops.
Cover the bottom of the container with just one layer of pebbles, place the carrot tops on top, and fill with just enough water to reach the bottom of the carrots. (When you cut the carrots, cut at least 1.5cm from the top.)
Within a day or so you should see little shoots poking through. Shoots can grow up to 10cm and should probably be used within a week or two.
Cool or Complicated?
Future designs – what does your dream (eco) kitchen look like?
1. Ekokook
French product design firm Faltazi has proposed a conceptual system where water is recycled and waste is broken down by worms inside the kitchen.
Named the Ekokook, it incorporates storage containers for packaging, a reservoir under the sink for collecting water to be reused, and a container where earthworms break down organic waste.
Since most household waste is produced in the kitchen, the aim of Ekokook is to process waste as close as possible to the point where it’s produced.
For a more thorough review, check out dezeen magazine.
2. The Microbial Home
Although the Microbial Home by Dutch firm Philips Design is more than just a kitchen, many of its functions revolve around or involve food (production, storage, recycling, waste, etc.).
The project includes various aspects like a bio digester island and larder in the kitchen, urban beehive, and bio-light (powered by bacteria living on organic waste material).
The larder is a dining table that doubles as a food storage system and evaporative cooler – a kind of natural refrigerator. The table’s centre comprises inset terracotta boxes, whose temperature is regulated by the water pipes from the methane bio-digester.
For more photos and explanation, check out Yanko Design.
3. Malthus
This design by Swiss company Conceptual Devices isn’t exactly a kitchen, either, but as an appliance it would form an important component of a sustainable eco-kitchen.
Malthus is an aquaponic unit designed to grow one meal a day: a portion of fish and a side salad. (Aquaponics is a farming technique that combines fish and vegetable cultivation.)
This appliance consists of a fish tank that holds 400 litres of water, supporting more than 2kg of fish. The fish provide rich fertilizer for the plants and in return, the plants clean the water from the tank. The water is pumped through three cultivated grow beds which filter the water for the fish. The fish and the plants co-exist in a symbiotic relationship.
Our Philosophy
Yes, there is a method to our madness – although we could argue that a passion for food and books is hardly madness.
One of our primary motivations in this endeavour was the desire to learn more about sustainable, eco-friendly, and healthy ways of food production, preparation, and consumption. We believe in composting, recycling, and organic farming. And as we learn more we want to share that with others. So we’re also interested in food education and nutrition.
In addition, we have an aesthetic appreciation for well-made objects, art that uses recycled materials, design that addresses sustainability, and other environmentally-friendly projects.
We won’t attempt to write a manifesto, here – just give a very brief idea of what we’re all about. In future posts we’d like to explore some of these topics more.
We’d love to hear from you about your food experiences.
Do you have a tip for growing your own vegetables?
Have you seen, heard, or read about a fantastic ‘green’ project?
Can you share a recipe for a decadent, yet healthy dessert?
