The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house – it’s where we cook, eat and socialize. But it’s also one of the most energy-intensive rooms, accounting for about 12% of a home’s total energy use.
Fortunately, there are many simple things you can do to make your kitchen more sustainable and efficient. Here are 23 tips for a greener kitchen:
1. Install energy-efficient appliances.
2. Use the right size pot or pan for the job.
3. Don’t preheat the oven unless necessary.
4. Defrost food in the fridge overnight, not in the microwave.
5. Keep the fridge and freezer full – it helps them run more efficiently.
6. Line the fridge with foil to reflect heat and prevent cold air from escaping.
7. Clean the fridge coils regularly.
8. Use the self-cleaning cycle on your oven sparingly.
9. Consider a convection oven.
10. Hang a pot rack to free up space on the stovetop.
11. Use the microwave instead of the stovetop or oven whenever possible.
12. Use the toaster oven for small jobs.
13. Don’t leave the oven door open while cooking.
14. Use a pressure cooker.
15. Use a slow cooker.
16. Use a crockpot.
17. Invest in some good quality knives and sharpen them regularly.
18. Use a cutting board.
19. Use a dishwasher if you have one – it’s usually more efficient than hand-washing.
20. Scrape, don’t rinse, dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.
21. Let dishes air-dry.
22. Use unbleached, recycled paper towels.
23. Use rags instead of paper towels whenever possible.