Creating an Environmentally Friendly Kitchen
Which room in your house is posing the greatest environmental challenge?
For many, the answer to this question is the kitchen.
First, look at your refrigerator. Your refrigerator is the appliance that consumes the most energy. Keeping the refrigerator and freezer full of food helps trap the cold air and maintain the temperature. You can also reduce the work load by allowing foods to partially cool before placing them in the refrigerator and ensuring that foods and liquids are properly covered.
Families that have a notorious food-browser, who stands gazing into an open fridge, will waste a lot of energy as the cool air from the refrigerator escapes. Thwart this problem by posting a list of common foods on the refrigerator door, which will provide the inspiration they are looking for. You can also minimize the amount of time that the door is ajar by keeping your refrigerator well organized.
If your refrigerator is not an energy efficient model, consider replacing it for even greater results. Not only will the energy consumption be less, but these models also offer better temperature control and defrost features.
Next, just as energy efficient refrigerator strategies involve keeping the cold air in, energy efficiency with the oven is all about keeping the hot air in. This means using the oven's internal light to see how your food is doing rather than opening the door to check. It also means cooking several items at one time. Not only is it more energy efficient, it's also a great time saver. A final oven strategy is to turn your oven off several minutes before the end of your cooking time. The temperature that has already built up within the unit will complete the job without expending unnecessary energy.
Similar strategies also work with your dishwasher. Run this appliance only when it is full of dishes and use the shortest cycle with the fewest rinses. You can also save big on your dishwasher's energy consumption by letting your dishes air dry.
Finally, think about where your appliances are positioned within the room. It is generally advised that all appliances stand separate from each other, especially the refrigerator, which can be made to work harder by a hot oven or dishwasher.
Minimizing Waste
In addition to its energy consumption, kitchens are also notoriously known for their waste creation. If you are like the average UK household, then you expel about a tonne of garbage each year. Help reduce this amount by minimizing your kitchen waste.
Organic waste (garbage from your food) can be put to good use with the creation of a simple composting system. Visit a local nursery and purchase an inexpensive composting bin, take it home, toss in your kitchen waste and yard scraps, and in about a month you'll have excellent soil for your gardens.
Some people are hesitant to compost because they believe it is too complicated and that there are too many rules for what you can and cannot compost. Actually, it is not that difficult when you think about it in the right way. Remember that the final product from your compost bin will be going into your garden and that you can only compost things that could have come from a garden or yard. This means that while lettuce is OK, meat is not.
Another hesitation comes from fear of the stench and the attraction of pests. Neither will be a problem as long as you avoid putting meat, dairy, and fat in your bin. Although the compost will have an odour, it will not be strong or overly-unpleasant. You can help minimize the smell even further by using plenty of citrus peels and tea bags.
Non-organic waste can be dealt with in one of three ways - reuse, recycle, or send it to the dustbin. Make a commitment to yourself that you will not purchase items with unnecessary packaging to minimize the amount of rubbish that enters your home. Reuse glass bottles, plastic bags, and other containers for future food storage and recycle everything that your municipality will take.
Recycling waste not only minimizes the garbage you produce, it also helps the environment in other ways. Producing an item from recycled materials can use up to 90% less energy than production from raw materials.
Now that your kitchen is environmentally friendly, it's time to tackle the rest of the house...
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