The world is going green, and so can you! Having an Eco friendly kitchen starts with what’s in your fridge and extends all the way out to what materials and tools you use, food preparation that is energy efficient, and cleaning using sustainable materials instead of toxic chemicals. These are all super important for having a kitchen that is truly green and Eco friendly. The great thing about converting your space from a regular, unhealthy kitchen to something that is phenomenal and efficient is that the change will be fantastic for your well being as well as save you dollars while saving the planet. What could be more amazing?

Trade In Your Cookware And Cheap Kitchen Supplies

You may not think of it, but the tools and materials that you cook with actually have a big impact on your health. For cook ware and utensils, you want materials and cookware that is going to last a long time as opposed to being ultra-disposable. Plastic has to go. Teflon pans, while perhaps convenient, are not very green. They also cause cancer which makes them a big no-no in the kitchen. The best thing you can do is purchase cook ware that is sustainable as opposed to convenient. That means investing into a thick, classic cast iron skillet. These babies last forever and are a dream to cook with. Go for bamboo and environmentally friendly spoons and stirrers, and ditch all the plastic and low quality stuff that’s hiding in your kitchen. Instead of buying paper towels over and over, purchase some nice cloth towels that can be washed. Lastly, invest in ultra high quality knives that can be sharpened and used for decades.

Having Ecological Enlarged Windows

Having enlarged windows can bring the element of light into a kitchen and really work to open a space. When you enlarge a window, you can make a room more bright without spending more energy and money to bring that extra light in. Rooms have natural light during the day, and when you extend a room you can cut back on overhead lighting powered by electricity. This is a simple way to enhance your kitchen and cuts back on overall energy costs, making your kitchen even more green.

Cooking And Being Energy Efficient

Cut back on energy costs by cutting out preheating. Modern ovens heat up easily. Try to change the way you cook by putting the food in as soon as the oven is turned on. Then turn off the oven a few minutes early and allow the dish to cook in the remaining heat. Cooking multiple things at one in an oven will also save energy. Use a toaster oven or microwave for smaller dishes and you can save 80% of the energy you would normally use by putting in the big oven.

Using Gas Or Electricity To Cook

There are different advantages to each cooking method. The best thing to do to be green is to purchase the electricity from a source that is sustainable and use electric equipment. The cost is a little more now but carbon prices will change that and save you more. Electricity sourced from a station that uses coal as a power may be worse for the environment, so in that case going with gas is a superior option. Most electric cooking equipment is the more efficient choice because the energy created goes towards what you are cooking, where gas a lot of the energy dissipates and goes to waste. Electric induction tops cook faster and are more efficient than gas by up to 55%. Emissions for electricity are lower than gas since the emissions for gas are generally higher at the start of use. Electricity for cooking is more sustainable and is even more environmentally friendly when you buy electric appliances that are efficient.

4.5% of the energy used at home comes from cooking. That’s only a small part of carbon emissions, but they matter. Gas burners can give off heat that is instant and have more control over temperature, so that is an advantage of using gas. Electric stoves do take more time to heat up and cool. However, new oven models that utilize electric ignitions in place of a pilot light use 40% less gas, making them an energy efficient choice.