We drive cars that get better mileage, we install energy-efficient windows, and we recycle more.
These are just a few of the many ways earth-conscious homeowners are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and thereby make a difference in their little corner of the universe.
But did you know that "green" living can also translate into the kitchen? Here are a few quick tips that will help you maintain a "greener" kitchen.
--Rethink your appliances: It simply doesn't make sense to heat an entire oven in order to bake a small casserole or side dish for dinner.
Why not use a toaster oven instead? Toaster ovens were all the rage in the 1970's, and they're still popular for making open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches! But they are, indeed, ovens: so use them more often in your daily cooking routine.
Your foods will turn out great and they are handy for when a microwave simply won't do.
If you are ready to get a new stove, choose one that work by induction: it can save up to 50 percent of the heat loss created by conventional stove tops.
--Rethink your methodology: Just the simple act of putting a lid on the pot when bringing water to a boil will save a considerable amount of energy over time.
Use your oven less during the summer months, and eat more raw foods: you'll not only save energy directly, but also indirectly since your air conditioner will not have to work overtime compensating for all that unnecessary heat.
--Rethink your cookware: Many of today's manufacturers are going green; so seek them out! Eco friendly cookware is all the rage, and everything about it is designed with sustainability in mind: from recycling excess materials to full on-site manufacturing to not using petrochemicals during production.
It may seem small, but every attempt to go green at home makes a difference.
These are just a few of the many ways earth-conscious homeowners are trying to reduce their carbon footprints and thereby make a difference in their little corner of the universe.
But did you know that "green" living can also translate into the kitchen? Here are a few quick tips that will help you maintain a "greener" kitchen.
--Rethink your appliances: It simply doesn't make sense to heat an entire oven in order to bake a small casserole or side dish for dinner.
Why not use a toaster oven instead? Toaster ovens were all the rage in the 1970's, and they're still popular for making open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches! But they are, indeed, ovens: so use them more often in your daily cooking routine.
Your foods will turn out great and they are handy for when a microwave simply won't do.
If you are ready to get a new stove, choose one that work by induction: it can save up to 50 percent of the heat loss created by conventional stove tops.
--Rethink your methodology: Just the simple act of putting a lid on the pot when bringing water to a boil will save a considerable amount of energy over time.
Use your oven less during the summer months, and eat more raw foods: you'll not only save energy directly, but also indirectly since your air conditioner will not have to work overtime compensating for all that unnecessary heat.
--Rethink your cookware: Many of today's manufacturers are going green; so seek them out! Eco friendly cookware is all the rage, and everything about it is designed with sustainability in mind: from recycling excess materials to full on-site manufacturing to not using petrochemicals during production.
It may seem small, but every attempt to go green at home makes a difference.