Usually, when we think about "greening" a kitchen, the first things that come to mind are the big items: appliances, organic foods, non-toxic cleansers. Cookware is almost an afterthought in the grand scheme of improving our home environment. Still, as food preparation plays such an instrumental part in our daily lives, examining the possible health and environmental impact of our cookware is equally necessary for an eco-friendly kitchen.

Getting Started
There are a two basic ways that you can transform your kitchen into a earth friendly domain of cookware: A) shop secondhand stores for energy-efficient items or B) buy new cookware that better fits your environmentally conscious lifestyle. Whatever your method, always consider what materials have been used to make the product. The best energy-efficient metals are:

Knowing the properties of high heat conductivity gems like aluminum, copper, and cast iron pans can help you choose exactly what products create a more eco-friendly kitchen. Always make an attempt to purchase products made with post consumer recyclable materials. These are relatively easy to track down (along with substantial reviews on their performance.)

 
Health Risks
The most argued topic in the safety of cookware concerns the release of certain chemical toxins into the air. Many experts and bloggers are at odds about the health risks of Teflon coated cookware. Most nonstick cookware is made with chemicals called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), otherwise known as fluoropolymers. Fluoropolymers are created using perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Because of studies that link PFOAs to cancer, birth defects, and infertility, there has been rising concern around products that use these chemicals during the production process.  While PFOAs are only found in trace amounts in finished cookware, studies conducted by the Environmental Working Group show that Teflon coated pans emit toxins when used at temperatures over 550 degrees. Chances are that you never cook food at temperatures that high, but if you are even slightly concerned about eating Teflon flakes along with your Texas scramble, there are newer, safer non-stick options to consider. This includes cookware with an enamel coating or hard anodized aluminum.


Environmental Risks
Like many household items, most of the environmental risks occur during the production stage of your cookware.  Before purchasing, make sure you know what the company is doing about their carbon footprint. Most companies that are trying to become more sustainable will provide information on what steps they are taking to reduce the impact of their processes. With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can decide which brand deserves your hard earned money. (Actually, you should do this with every company that slaps a "green" or  "organic" sticker on their products.)  This may seem like a lot to think about for an frying pan, but if there isn't any effort towards sustaining the earth during production, then you're not doing much good to the earth by purchasing the product.