What better way to help the environment than in a way that helps you save money also. Below are some tips to help you reduce your kitchen energy usage.
- Keep appliances clean – Clean surfaces maximize the amount of energy reflected toward your food.
- Keep liquids covered -The refrigerator has to work harder, using more energy to keep cool, when pitchers of juice or water, unfinished drinks and other liquid items are stored without lids.
- Switch to copper-bottom pots and pans – They heat up faster than other types of pans, which means they require less energy from the stove.
- Dont peek – Opening the oven door can lower the internal temperature as much as 25 degrees. Use a timer to set the cooking time, and be sure your oven window is clean enough for you to see how your dish is progressing.
- Practice smart storage – Don’t overload the refrigerator. Food stored loosely helps cold air circulate better, maximizing efficiency. The freezer, on the other hand, uses less energy when packed tightly(add a bag of ice to help fill it up).
- Place appliances strategically – If possible, keep the refrigerator away from the oven and the dishwasher. The latter two generate heat, which makes the refrigerator work harder and use more energy to stay cold.
- Don’t preheat the oven – Unless the recipe calls for a preheated oven, dont preheat.