Stop right there! You’ve just ruined a present from the newsagent. So desperate were you to gaze upon my pearls of wisdom, you ripped apart the plastic bag containing this magazine. Next week, neatly cut off the bag’s end with scissors.

Multi-section newspapers have to put some of their wares in plastic bags, but although the plastic isn’t safe to house food, it can be used in the kitchen as long as it doesn’t touch your comestibles. You can wrap it around a plastic tub and close it with a clip. Or place it over an open tin. Or use it as an airtight seal for biscuits or crispbreads whose wrappings have been hastily torn. Between reused bags and reusable plastic tubs, you can eliminate plastic food bags from your shopping list.

The postman also brings items for the Green Kitchen. Preparing really dirty veg (leeks and onions are prime examples) on a clean chopping board lands you with a mess that needs washing before you can chop the veg. It isn’t necessary. Instead, place paper posted through your letter box (announcements of the $700,000 prize you’ve just won in the Andorran National Lottery work well) on your worksurface. After preparing your veg, trim away dirty sections of the post for composting and recycle the rest.

The bank is another unwitting friend of the Green Kitchen. You know those “table sweepers” used in fancy restaurants to clear detritus between main course and dessert? You’ve got one that’s just as good. It’s called a credit card. When a card expires, use it to sweep tables and worksurfaces. Your hand doesn’t work as well and damp cloths get clogged with scraps that fall to the floor on the way to the bin. Cloths need cleaning, floors need mopping. Extra work, extra water, extra detergent. I’ve noticed that Visa works marginally better than MasterCard, but further study is required. We also accept Solo and Maestro.

greenkitchen@thetimes.co.uk

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