Going Green in the Kitchen

Are you conscious of your environment? Fact is, almost every kitchen is causing some level of harm to the environment, no matter how environmentally-conscious the homeowner. That being said there are things you can do to "go green" and reduce your negative environmental impact.Here some ways to go green in your kitchen, at no additional cost.

Wash dishes the "Green" way

The method you adopt when it comes to washing your dishes determines how much water you use. Before you use your dishwasher, wait till you have a full load in it, not just one meal or days worth. The water used to run a partially filled dishwasher is the same as to wash one full load, so by combining multiple meals and days of dishes, you can cut your water usage in half or even further.

Most dishwashers come with an ‘economy' button option. Turning it on will save your energy and water. Another thing to look out for is the ‘heat dry' option. Turn it off and air-dry your dishes instead. That will save tons of energy for you.

Cook smart

The conventional oven consumes 50% more power compared to the microwave oven. If you are going to cook small dishes, use the microwave oven instead, or maybe the toaster oven or slow cooker.Using a microwave oven also brings less heat into the home, thereby needing less air-conditioning.

Fridge usage

Browsing through the fridge, keeping the door open for long is one of the ridiculous ways to waste energy. Also, make sure that your refrigerator is not leaking cold air due to a faulty seal. If that is the case, then it is time to get the seal repaired.

Keep recycling

Find out what in your home can be recycled and how to get them to your local recycling facilities. In most regions, the recycling company goes door to door to pick them up, just like they do your trash cans. So, always get those recyclables in your kitchen out for the recycling service to pick them up.

Products with less packaging

It is not easy to altogether avoid food packaging, but you can start from little and work your way up. Avoid buying products with excessive packaging. Instead of buying them individually, buy large sizes of products.

Going green in your kitchen is a practice that would benefit you tremendously. Apart from the money saved from less usage of energy and water, you help make the environment less polluted and more friendly. It's time to start building and working through a checklist of things to keep your kitchen green. You will be grateful you did.