We all know the “hub” of the home is the kitchen. But it’s also the hub of consumption and waste. The U.S. Department of Energy has stated that the fridge alone accounts for 8% of the homes energy use. Lets test your eco-knowledge and learn how you can turn your kitchen into the “environmentally conscious” heart of the home!
1. Microwave: According to the nonprofit Edison Electric Institute, a microwave uses 90% less energy than a regular oven and about 30% less energy than a toaster oven. Use the microwave to reheat leftovers and the toaster oven for small coking jobs!
2. Glass: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AGEEE) says that glass and ceramic pans conduct heat faster then metal, so you can reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees for the same amount of cooking time.
3. Dishwasher: An Energy Star qualified appliance will save 5000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs and 230 hours of your time each year, according to the Energy Star website. Run only full loads and choose the air-dry setting instead of heat-dry to save more money.
4. Top-To-Bottom: Side by side refrigerators/freezers use 10-30% more energy; even if they have an “Energy Star” rating, according to AGEEE. Icemakers and chilled water options increase annual energy use too. Instead, choose an Energy Star-qualified fridge, which uses about half the energy of older models. Plus, cleaning your Fridges coils yearly helps keep them in good shape!
5. Compost: Fruits, veggies, coffee grinds, tea bags and eggshell scraps can all be composted with yard waste and reduce your garbage load by about 25%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
6. Gas: According to the California Energy Commission, a gas stove uses less than half the energy of electric stoves, providing the pilot light has an electronic ignition and doesn’t burn out all the time. Chefs love these stoves for their more precise heating control.
7. Fresh: A Dutch study comparing the relative merits of processing and packaging carrots from environmental, economic and nutritional perspectives showed that fresh products had the least amount of environmental impact and frozen had the greatest. However, the FDA says frozen fruits and veggies provide the same amount of essential nutrients as fresh do. I think it is always best to eat fresh whenever possible and local farmers markets are a great place to do so.
8. Glass: According to the National Recycling Coalition, glass can be recycled indefinitely because its structure doesn’t deteriorate. Recycling 12 glass bottles a week will save enough energy to power a compact fluorescent bulb for 240 hours!
9. Aluminum: The EPA reports that recycling just one aluminum container can save enough energy to power a computer for 3 hours! Plus recycled aluminum can be used to make new cans, house siding and much, much more!
10. Remember to recycle and reuse whenever you can!
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Jerry James Stone 09.18.08 at 1:36 pm
Great tips, thanks!