Did you know that your kitchen is one of the biggest drains on your home's energy bills? With sinks, dish washers, refrigerators and all kinds of electric appliances, and let's not forget about the non-recyclable food packaging, it's no wonder that learning how to "greenify" kitchens has become so important. Protect your wallet and your planet by following these ten easy steps to making your kitchen green.
Appliances that are turned off but plugged in still use energy - this is called vampire energy. Unplug all appliances that aren't in use such as toasters, blenders, televisions and other appliances and you can save a couple hundred dollars a year! If you're not looking forward to plugging and unplugging the most-used appliances all day long, you can purchase a $10 surge strip that will allow you to plug in many appliances. The power strip has one button that controls everything plugged into it.When opening the doors to your refrigerator and freezer, make sure you've already got a pretty good idea what you're looking for. Keeping the door open while you "take inventory" is a bad habit that you should try to break. Know what's in your refrigerator, and where it's located. Refrigerator and freezer doors are kept closed with magnetic strips. The magnetic strips are embedded in a rubber seal around the door. Keep the seals clean. Debris on the seal can let air in and out, compromising the air tightness and making the refrigerator work harder.Of course, whether your refrigerator is new or old, there are always other things that you can do to improve its efficiency. Is your freezer full? It should be. A full freezer is easier to keep cold. Filling milk jugs with tap water about two thirds the way up will eventually provide a nice block of ice that will help keep your freezer cold with minimal use of energy. And, in case of a black out, the jugs of frozen water will help keep other things in the freezer cold longer. Best of all, in case of a severe emergency -- think hurricane season -- the jugs of water can be thawed out and used. Remember, when you fill up those jugs to put in the freezer, don't fill them all the way to the top. Water expands when it freezes. Two thirds full should be just fine.Step 3: Wash dishes the green wayIt has been estimated that using a dishwasher uses about 37% less energy than washing dishes by hand. This only holds true if you let the faucet run continually as you hand wash. If you don't have a dishwasher, fill one side of your sink up with soapy water and other other side with clean water to rinse the dishes. If you have only one large area in your sink, you can purchase a plastic tub to fill up with soapy water for very little money.Even if you can only manage to implement a few of these steps, your kitchen and the planet will be more environmentally friendly and less wasteful! You'll be taking part in making sure our planet is livable for many generations to come.Step 2: Keep that door closedNova Science PublishersStep 5: Make use of microwaves, toaster ovens and slow cookersClick here to see rankings and reviews for eco-friendly appliances.Don't throw out anything that can be reused. If you use Ziploc bags, wash them out and reuse them. If you bring home leftovers from a restaurant in a plastic container, wash it and reuse it! Imagine the money you'll save on everyday items when you start recycling.Speaking of water, open water evaporates and condenses in a refrigerator. This makes the refrigerator work harder, and also tends to drip little annoying drops of water on your hands whenever you reach for something on the top shelf. So, if you put something wet into the fridge, make sure it is covered.These simple maintenance tips should make your refrigerator live a healthy, energy efficient life. And you'll notice the difference on your utility bill.Researchers at the Thermal Center of Lyon and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Annaba (Algeria), present this volume focusing on energy consumption and conservation in refrigeration plants. They provide a literature review and summary as well as a report on an original simulation program.Standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open, trying to decide what to grab, has become a pastime - and it also wastes lots of energy! When the door is open, the energy quickly escapes, which means your fridge must work harder to maintain the right temperature.Step 4: Use energy-saving appliancesEating organic food is not only healthy for the environment, but healthy for you too! While pesticides were developed for a good reason, their cost may outweigh their benefit. Eating foods free of pesticides or at least very low in pesticides helps keep chemicals running off into our rivers and oceans.([c]2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR)When you are using the stove top, use a lid to cover your food to keep energy from being wasted. Cooking without lids can use up to three times more energy. Another perk to using a lid is that your food will cook more quickly.Boumaraf, Latra et al.Step 8: Eat local and eat organicYou can test for good seals by slipping a dollar bill in between the door and the fridge. Close the door, and try to take the dollar bill out. If it's easy to remove, your seals need cleaning. After cleaning, try using silicone spray to revitalize the old rubber on the seals. If this doesn't improve things, you might want to see if you can get the seals replaced. You can order replacement refrigerator seals online, or by phone, from your refrigerator's manufacturer.Don't run the dish washer every night, unless it is filled to capacity. If your dishwasher has an "economy" cycle, test it out.
Research how you should recycle in your town. What do the recyclers accept? How should it be sorted? Do you need special bins? Does the recycling company pickup on a different day than the trash? These are all things you should know so that you can make the most out of your garbage!
Author: Kathryn Steed
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