Apparently Americans generate between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. Much of this is used by our vehicles, but we also use a lot of energy cooking our food. There are a number of ways we can have greener kitchens.
If you are planning to remodel your kitchen then this is the best time to incorporate some green measures. The construction industry is ready to supply you with eco-friendly products for your kitchen but brace yourself because the materials can cost more than traditional ones.
It’s ok if you can’t turn your kitchen inside out, because you can make your kitchen green one step at a time. Start with small solutions like these.
- Green Kitchen Countertops
If you prepare footd, you spend a lot of time interacting with your countertop. Granite and quartz are popular now, but there are recycled glass and concrete alternatives that are just as attractive and hold up just as well.. With the wide array of options available to consumers now, there is no reason for you not to have a green countertop for your kitchen.
Green countertops are those that integrate recycled waste into their composition. If you like a glass countertop then choose one made of recycled glass including traffic lights, windshields, even beer bottles; or you can opt for countertops made of recycled newspapers or cardboards.
- Kitchen Appliances
What’s a kitchen without appliances that can make concocting recipes a breeze? You can start with kitchen appliances that have the Energy Star Label and which consumes up to 50% less energy than the traditional appliances. If you’re planning to replace old appliances or buying new ones then make sure you get one with the Star to reduce your monthly energy consumption.
It is also important to know how to strategically place your appliances to save on energy. Your refrigerator should not be placed beside your kitchen stove or oven because the heat of the stove or oven will increase the energy usage of the refrigerator as it has to work harder given the heat emitted by the oven. If you do not usually feed a soccer team then opt for smaller appliances since bigger one do not only take more space but use more energy as well.
A ten-year old refrigerator should also be replaced by a new one if you want to save on energy consumption. Of all your kitchen appliances it is the refrigerator that consumers most energy and old refrigerator accounts for up to 15% of your power consumption. Refrigerators with automatic defrost features are more convenoent, but they use more energy than manual defrost refrigerators.
The kitchen is one place where the whole family can congregate not only to prepare food or eat but also to chat and update each other. Keeping your kitchen green is one way to educate your family about green living. There are a lot of small kitchen remodeling projects you can do at an affordable budget.
