The U.K. celebrates its first recycled kitchen

One major frustration for those of us who hold a combined love for yogurt and respect for the environment is the lack of recyclability of yogurt pots. Someone who eats one every day in their packed lunch will contribute more than 250 of them in a year to landfills, which are constantly expanding under the weight of our garbage, and in many cases, doing so unnecessarily.

Some companies, thank goodness, are diligently exploring ways that we can use everyday items, like these yogurt pots, that would otherwise end up spending several years in landfills.

This kitchen by Milestone is a prime example of this shift, boasting itself as the first kitchen to be made entirely out of recyclable materials. The cabinets are made from recycled yogurt pots, which give them an organic speckled look that reminds me of quail eggs. Each cabinet requires 700 pots to make, keeping three year's worth of lunchtime yogurt trash out of landfills. The worktops are also works of plastic art, constructed entirely out of post-consumer vending machine coffee cups, and the cabinets are partially made from recycled wood chips. Move to the sink and you'll find that's it's made from recycled steel, and is again recyclable after you're finished with it. Even the lighting is conservative, using only around 5 or 7 watts, depending on where they are located.

In an ideal world, we would be able to live comfortably without upsetting the natural balance of the earth, building houses without destroying fragile ecosystems, and using appliances that would be conservative in their energy use and made with biodegradable materials. The reality is that at this point, we are far removed from this sort of living. Instead, we have to search for opportunities to do what we can, when we can. And thankfully, companies like Milestone continue to innovate and make that possible.