This is good to think about if your serious about saving energy and your money. A few changes in our habits could save several dollars a week and they will add up. I have posted articles on lights and other methods of saving energy but this is the first that specifically addresses the Kitchen. Beyond what they suggest here we should all look at the costs and figure out if upgrading to more energy-efficient appliances is something in our future? I would however look at the total house list of appliances and find those that use the most – old electric driers and water heaters and figure out how to replace the “worst offender” first then as funds become available work down through the list upgrading to more efficient appliances and possibly using total shut off strips for things like TV, radios, etc that may not totally shut down when you “turn them off”. Every little bit can help, especially if you’re at a point of replacement anyway. – WD0AJG
Energy savings can be done in many ways: by switching out incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescent lights (CFL), by hanging clothes to dry rather than using the dryer, and by installing a programmable thermostat, but the actual savings of each of these steps is small.
In order to achieve real, visible energy savings, what’s needed is a comprehensive plan that includes all aspects of energy consumption in the household. Big savings in energy come from multiple small steps all enacted at the same time.
One area to pursue in an energy savings plan is cooking habits. Exploring how much energy each kitchen appliance consumes in use, and how to efficiently make use of each of them, can lower overall household energy consumption.
Each appliance or kitchen electronic consumes energy differently. An electric stove at 350 degrees uses 2KW an hour, more than a comparable gas stove. A microwave oven on high uses.36 KW every 15 minutes, while a slow cooker at 200 degrees uses.7 KW in 6-7 hours.
Considering the average cost of electricity per KW is $.12, it therefore costs $7.50/month to use an electric stove for an hour a day, and $1.20/month to use the microwave for 15 minutes a day. Over the course of a year, how you cook in the kitchen can make a big difference on the electric bill.
A toaster oven at 350 degrees costs only $.04 an hour. Cooking small meals in the microwave and heating leftovers in the toaster, then, make a big cut in energy costs. Using a slow cooker once or twice a week rather than the oven adds to kitchen energy savings. Planning meals and using smaller appliances when possible are one small step in an effective household energy plan.
Saving energy is about changing habits. Planning ahead with a slow cooker rather than using the electric or gas stove exclusively leads to energy savings. Even if the savings seem small in themselves, over time and with the addition of other similarly small changes household electricity use can drop dramatically.
Energy Conservation Tips
Low Cost Ways To Save Energy, Money, & The Planet!
http://www.howtosaveelectricity.net/
Author: Brent Crouch
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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