Save Energy, Save Money: 10 Tips to Reduce Energy Usage in your Kitchen
Save Energy, Save Money
Summer is officially here and that means two things: you’re using more electricity than usual and your energy rates are likely going up. The good news is that there are ways to conserve energy and save a little on your bill.
Here are 10 tips to conserve energy this summer:
1. Unplug Kitchen Appliances
If you aren’t using appliances like your toaster or coffee maker, it’s best to unplug them to reduce energy consumption.
2. Cooking in the oven? Don’t open it.
Believe it or not, opening the oven to check your food actually wastes energy. To avoid this, make sure to keep your oven door clean so you can check food without having to open and close the oven.
3. Make the switch to energy efficient appliances
If you’re in the market for new appliances, you should consider making the switch to energy efficient appliances that will make smarter use of electricity in your home
4. Don’t keep the fridge open for too long
Keeping the refrigerator open for too long wastes energy. One way to prevent keeping the refrigerator open for too long is to move your most-used products to the front.
5. Take your cooking outside
Fire up your grill. Summer is the perfect time to barbecue! It’s also a great way to conserve energy and keep your energy bill down by keeping the inside of your home cool.
6. Prep ahead
Cook meals ahead of time that will freeze or refrigerate well. When you’re ready to eat, just heat it up and you’re good to go. However, it is important to let the food cool off before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.
7. Use a toaster oven
If you have the choice between cooking with an oven or a toaster oven, choose to use the toaster oven. The toaster oven uses less energy and won’t heat up your kitchen.
8. Better yet, use the microwave
If you really want to conserve energy, use the microwave to heat up your food. It would be great to put to use when warming up the meals you’ve prepped ahead of time.
9. Defrost food before cooking
It’s important that you defrost your food before cooking it. If you cook food while it is still frozen, it will take longer to cook and use more energy than necessary.
10. Lighting
If your kitchen has an abundance of natural light, use it while you can to avoid turning on lights. If your kitchen doesn’t have windows, consider changing your light bulbs to energy efficient LEDS.
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