This came across and I had to put it in. I have not done much on environment issues recently as there are too many things on my mind other than saving energy. Although you would think that the current disaster in Japan would have pushed that to the front it did not. I was more thinking about the disaster and how the people were being helped and as many of you, glued to the news to read about the nuclear “melt-down” and would it go wild or not and would we all be effected or not?
This article covers a lot of the Kitchen appliances we use every day and I for one agree that maybe the slow cooker is too often overlooked. Some really fine meals can come from that. The major problem is in our current run run run world we just depend on “fast foods” too much and the way to “fast foods” even if you fix it your self is Microwave and fry. With proper planning, the day before, you can have a meal put together and start it when you leave for work and when you get home have it ready. The shift is to do things the day before, instead of the last minute! – WD0AJG
There are a number of simple and effective ways to save energy in your home. However, to accomplish a noticeable reduction in energy, it will take a culmination of small measures to truly make an impact. Therefore, if energy savings is a serious goal in your home, you will need to put together a comprehensive plan that will detail all aspects of your household energy consumption.
One of the easiest places to start is by switching out your light bulbs. Replace any incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs. The average CFL lasts nearly 10 times longer while using 75 percent less energy than your standard incandescent bulb.
A great place to begin analyzing energy consumption is in the kitchen. Determine the amount of energy each of your kitchen appliance uses. Every kitchen appliance will consume energy in different ways and at different rates. For example, an electric oven uses approximately 2 kilowatts per hour at 350 degrees. Your average microwave oven will use about 1/3 of a kilowatt every 15 minutes or so on high power. A programmable slow cooker on the other hand, only uses about 3/4 kilowatts in 6 to 7 hours of cooking time at 200 degrees.
Given the above information, it is pretty clear that a slow cooker is a very energy efficient appliance. It uses significantly less energy than a conventional oven. Considering the reduction in energy consumption and how easy they are to make delicious meals, maybe you should be cooking more meal in your slow cooker?
Your standard toaster oven costs around $0.04 per hour to operate at 350 degrees. A conventional oven cost nearly three times this amount which makes sense when you think about how much more space it needs to heat up. Therefore, you should be using your toaster oven to heat up meals or leftovers whenever possible. Toaster oven are quite versatile appliances and you might be surprised how many different recipes you can prepare with them.
Using your slow cooker and toaster oven more often will have a significant impact on energy savings in your kitchen. Try to plan meals using these smaller appliances and you will definitely notice a reduction in your energy bill each and every month.
Changing habits is really the key to energy savings. Planning a slow cooker meal in advances rather than using your electric oven will is a great way to save energy. While the savings might seem small, when combined with other changes around your home, you will notice a fairly dramatic reduction almost immediately.
Save money on your monthly electric bill simply by using a Programmable Slow Cooker. Find the latest reviews and best deals on a Hamilton Beach slow cooker and other top slow cookers to reduce your energy consumption and cost almost immediately.
Author: Brian Greenwich
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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