A few weeks ago Enviro Girl shared some tips for inexpensively greening your kitchen. Recycla has a few more to share with you — all having to do with your kitchen appliances:
- Keep your fridge full — Refrigerators and freezers use one-sixth of the energy in the average American home. Every time you open your fridge warm air flows in, forcing the appliance to readjust its temperature. The more items in the fridge and freezer, the less the temperature changes when the door opens, which cuts down on overall energy consumption.
- Use your microwave — Microwaves use 50-65% less energy than the standard oven. For reheating or steaming, opt for this instead of turning on the stove.
- Use a dishwasher — Just because doing the dishes by hand feels virtuous, doesn’t mean you’re saving the earth. You can reduce your water consumption by 37% by using the dishwasher. Don’t pre-rinse, as it uses more water — just load load dishes dirty. Make sure to run the dishwsher only when the washer is completely full. Also, keep your hands off the heat-dry button; let dishes air dry.
- Invest in your cookware — You’ll find yourself consuming less, if you pay a few extra dollars for cookware that lasts. Swear off Teflon and stick to stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans, use high quality wooden spoons, and cloth towels instead of paper.
That’s the list Recycla came up with. Can any of you think of others?
