1. Change How You Light Things Up
Believe
it or not those little light bulbs that you are using consume a lot
of energy, so why not replace them light bulbs that consume a lot
less energy? Replacing regular light bulbs with CFL (Compact
Fluorescent Light) Bulbs you can make a huge difference. What kind of
a difference you ask? Look at these wattage stats of CFL bulbs
compared to regular bulbs and then you tell me:
Regular Bulb / CFL Bulb
60w /
13w-15w
75w / 20w
100w / 26w-29w
150w / 38w-42w
2. Reduce the Waste of Water
The
kitchen is one of the top rooms in a home where water is wasted. We
need to try and reduce this dramatically in today’s world. As
supplies of water drop due to rainfall patterns changing this has
become quite important. One of the easiest ways to reduce the waste
of water is by doing something as simple as not leaving the water
running when it isn’t in use. A lot of people tend to turn the water
on a lot higher than they need to as well. Simply reducing the
pressure of the water can sometimes help as well. Ever heard the
phrase, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”? Try using your left over water
from boiling rice, noodles, etc. to water the garden.
3. Buy Local Produce
Buying
local produce is a great way of making your kitchen more
eco-friendly. By bringing local produce into your kitchen you are
helping out the environment more than you will ever know. A lot of
the produce in the United States is shipped around an average of
1,500 miles or so before they are even sold. What makes that bad is
the fact that it takes so much fuel to make those trips. If you are
unable to visit your own local farmers market why not try growing
your own vegetable garden? Not only is it great for the environment
but growing your own vegetable garden can also be quite rewarding
knowing you grew your own vegetables.
4. Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
All the Way
Instead
of using chemical filled cleaning products in the kitchen use
eco-friendly cleaning products. Two well known brands, Palmolive and
Clorox, put out a great line of eco-friendly cleaning products. I
have used items from both lines and love them. Not only do they clean
quite well but they also smell good too.
5. Turn to Energy Efficient
Appliances
Choose
Energy Star appliances. Some appliances can be quite hefty when it
comes to the price so be sure to shop around and choose smartly.
Energy Star appliances are typically anywhere from 10% – 20% more
energy efficient than regular kitchen appliances.
These are very good tips there, and I am sure most of the readers know all these things. But just knowing about these things is of no use unless we practice them…so go ahead and make your kitchen eco-friendly…
I have been doing this ever since I was a just a boy, nice to know that you are sharing this so some of the readers would know how to contribute to the environment.
Responses to chocoguy
Great job
Keep it up.
More like common sense than anything else. I would be surprised if most people don’t already do all these things automatically. Still, always useful to remind people.
Those are all very good tips. and things that, I think, most of us do not think much about. I will be looking into making some of those changes for my family.
For lighting, why not consider led strips under the cupboards, self adhesive, very small profile, very low power usage.
As far as reducing water use, check out usalandlord.com. They have some great low-flow aerators (mine switches from tube to spray pattern and swivels).
Also, who *buys* eco-friendly cleaning products? Make them yourself! You’d be amazed how far baking soda, vinegar, borax, Fels-Naptha, and washing soda will go.
My grand mother swore by vinegar for all sorts of household jobs… especially cleaning.. and she even uses it to clean limescale from her kettle.
Are you sure you need chemicals to keep the house clean? I use nothing but water and the right cleaning cloths (Enyo in particular) and my house is sparkling clean and chemical free.
One exception: I do use a toilet cleaner.
Responses to S Corte
Pour 1 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup salt into the toilet. Slowly add 1 1/2 cup vinegar. Let it fizz for 10-20 minutes and scrub it clean. Works great!
I can’t believe there is no mention of animal products (such as dairy products and meat) which are one of the biggest causes of environmental destruction. For a really environmentally friendly kitchen, get rid of your meat, eggs and dairy milk and replace with vegan alternatives!
It also saves money if you unplug small appliances that are not in use. If they have a stand-by light on, they are still draining energy.
I agree with lyndsey…unplugging all appliances when not in use is a good way to reduce power consumption…
Great tips, thanks, is the lower watt bulb as bright as the higher watt. Poor lighting is not necessarily a good thing.
It’s good to have a reminder, sometimes, so we remember we’re doing all we can to have very eco-friendly kitchens.
actually lower watt bulbs placed intelligently around the house and maybe more in number than the high watt bulbs…do consume much less electricity…
Why buy cleaning products at all? White vinegar, lemons, washing soda, borax and homemade soap these are the staples in my cleaning arsenal.
Responses to ZammaJannan
Good points
We use vinegar at home too… I just wish it didn’t smell.
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I used the CFL bulbs and still do in some of my lamps. However, when I need bright light I need the normal three way light bulbs. I have yet to find a CFL bulb that gives out enough light to read comfortably without straining my eyes. Does anyone know if they make these that give off bright light?
Responses to Delilah
What about LED light bulbs did you try those?
What kind of CFL bulbs are you using? There are the ones that give off a yellow-ish light, the ones that give off a white light, and also the ones that give off more of a ”daylight” feel.
CFL lighting has improved a great deal in the lastyear.. THe light is just as goodas ordinary bulbs, they last up to 10 times longeer, and reduce your electricity usage dramatically…
Responses to stav
Another good thing to note about CFL bulbs is that they can be easily recycled by bringing them to your local Home Depot once they can’t be used anymore.
I agree with many of the comments here that most of this was common sense, but it never hurts to be reminded and, though it may be common sense to many, there are still a lot of uneducated people as respects energy conservation, so it’s still good to list these basics.
Does anyone know anything about CFL or LED oven lightbulbs? Do they exist yet? My local hardware store had no idea. I know it’s only a 40-watt appliance light but I’d like to get the most efficient replacement I can next time I have to swap it out.
i think that LED light bulbs are stupid, why buy them they are toxic wastes of money, and they ruin lives. . .
i dont get why eco-friendly stuff has to be way more expensive than every day stuff. the government should make it cheap so people wanna buy it!!!