Building a Sustainable Kitchen - by Naomi Hansen (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"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.

Review Quotes

"Building a Sustainable Kitchen by Naomi Hansen is 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. Her chapter on managing food waste is especially powerful: packed with smart, achievable strategies that align with Second Harvest's mission to prevent perfectly good food from going to waste. From shopping smart to making the most of leftovers, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to nourish their family while nourishing the planet. Inspiring, informative, and rooted in real-life experience, Building a Sustainable Kitchen proves that sustainability starts right where we gather most, around the kitchen table." --Lori Nikkel, Chief Executive Officer of Second Harvest

"Building a Sustainable Kitchen is a refreshing, evidence-driven antidote to the noise surrounding sustainability. Naomi Hansen cuts through greenwashing and guilt with a clear, practical roadmap for creating a more planet-friendly kitchen--one realistic step at a time. Drawing on extensive interviews, academic research, and her own lived experience as a regular Canadian cook, Hansen demystifies the science behind everyday choices with honesty and humility. This book is grounded, accessible, and most importantly, useful. It's a timely guide for anyone seeking sustainable habits without the hype." --Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast

"Eating sustainably can feel overwhelming! Naomi's book breaks down complicated concepts into practical, doable steps that have real impact. Building a Sustainable Kitchen offers people flexibility and meets them where they are, at every stage of their sustainable living journey. With region-focused advice, easy-to-follow takeaways, and 'What You Can Do' sections scattered throughout, this book is an essential guide to building a sustainable future for all. Buy this book now--you'll love it!" --Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma, author of Globe and Mail Best Cookbook, Good Food, Healthy Planet

"Reducing food waste is one of the most powerful individual actions you can take. This book is your A to Z on how and why these simple everyday shifts in your kitchen can help reduce our carbon footprint. Going zero waste is impossible but it is something we all need to work towards." --Christine Tizzard, creator of Zero-Waste Kitchen, author of Honest to Goodness, and ambassador for Love Food, Hate Waste

"Looking to make your home and the world more sustainable? The kitchen is where your actions have the power to make the biggest impact and Naomi Hansen has done all the legwork to find out where and how you should prioritize your efforts. This is a fantastic, well researched reference guide for all of us." --Bea Johnson, best-selling author of Zero Waste Home