In the kitchen
Your kitchen is a busy area of the house and usually one of the biggest energy users. With some simple changes you have the potential to reduce your carbon footprint and help in tackling climate change, as well as reducing your energy bills. It is not only about getting new efficient appliances, but to maintain and look after the ones you have, and use them in an efficient way!Here are some easy things you can do related to:
Stove and oven
Your cooking methods affect the efficiency of both your stove and oven. For example; simmer rather than boil food, and if you need to boil the food, turn your burner down once the liquids boil. Also, use lids to conserve heat and decrease cooking time and choose a burner size that matches the pot you are using.
When using the oven, try to reduce the number of times you open the door while cooking. Each time the door is opened, the stove loses about 1/4th of its heat. Make sure the seals and hinges on your oven fit tightly and don’t leak heat. To keep your equipment performing efficiently and with the least amount of energy, regularly check oven doors and the seals on your oven door, and change gaskets as needed. Clean it up and remove all debris from the oven floor, the more burned-on food you have, the harder it is for your oven to direct its heat to the cookware!
Water usage
Hot water heating accounts for about 25% of your energy use, so saving hot water also results in saving energy. If you are washing your dishes by hand, fill one basin with warm soapy water and the other with cold rinse water. When you signed up to the Zero Carbon Moreland campaign, you also received a tap aerator which is great for saving water. This is easy to install but the lower flow is barely perceptible, though it will take longer to fill large pots.
If you're using the dishwasher, there is no need to pre-rinse dishes (unless your dishwasher is an old model) and make sure your machine is full, but not overloaded. By turning off automatic air-dry switch, and letting the dishes dry by air you will save electricity. Check the manual that came with your dishwasher for the manufacturer's recommendations on water temperature; you might have internal heating elements that allow you to set the water heater in your home to a lower temperature.
Other appliances
Generally, try to use smaller appliances when possible since they use less energy than larger ones. Use a microwave or toaster rather than an oven or grill when appropriate. Boiling water in an electric jug rather than using the stove top is more efficient. Also remember; only boil as much water as you need!
Above: Only boil as much as you need!
When using the microwave, some tips are to cook the food on the outer edges of a rotating tray rather than in the centre, allowing more microwaves to interact with the food. Also, food cooks faster in a microwave as the surface-to-volume ratio increases. When cooking potatoes, for example, thinner slices will cook faster than cubed or quartered sections.
Above: The fridge and freezer are the single biggest power consumers in most households.
To help run the fridge more efficiently, make sure the coils at the back of the fridge are clean and well ventilated. Set the thermostat to between 3 to 5 degrees and locate you fridge or freezer in a cool and shaded area of the house. Turn off the second fridge in the shed, and only use it for special occasions. Check the door gasket occasionally to be sure the seal isn't broken by debris or caked on food. Test by closing the door over a dollar bill so that it's half in and half outside of the refrigerator. If you can pull the bill out easily, the latch may need adjusting or the seal may need replacing.
For all new appliances, choose a model with high Energy Rating. Plan for when your appliances might need to be replaced so that you know which type of fridge, freezer or dish washer you can buy that is more efficient and sized to suit your needs. When you are buying new appliances, reconsider how large appliances you actually need. The more money you’ll save in running costs of your appliances, the better for the environment! To read more about energy ratings visit www.energyrating.gov.au.
Above: More stars means more efficient appliances. It is also worth comparing the actual kWh usage since the star rating is only relative to an appliance of the same size, and smaller appliances use less energy!
Reduce stand by
Large contributors to standby electricity in the kitchen can be ovens, microwaves and dish washers. This is not always the case, and depends on the piece of equipment. It is therefore worth checking your appliances with a power meter, so that you know which ones use stand by. The switches to those appliances are often hard to get to and it might be worth having a power board with an extension cord so it is easier to turn them off. Electric kettles and toasters are other typical examples of appliances which may use standby power. Reducing stand by electricity can make a bigger difference than you think. Remembering to switch off appliances at the power point, when not in use, is a great habit to reinforce!
