1. Change How You Light Things Up
Believe
it or not those little light bulbs that you are using consume a lot
of energy, so why not replace the light bulbs that consume a lot
less energy? Replacing regular light bulbs with CFL (Compact
Fluorescent Light) Bulbs you can make a huge difference. What kind of
a difference you ask? Look at these wattage stats of CFL bulbs
compared to regular bulbs and then you tell me:
Regular Bulb / CFL Bulb
60w /
13w-15w
75w / 20w
100w / 26w-29w
150w / 38w-42w
2. Reduce the Waste of Water
The
kitchen is one of the top rooms in a home where water is wasted. We
need to try and reduce this dramatically in today’s world. As
supplies of water drop due to rainfall patterns changing this have
become quite important. One of the easiest ways to reduce the waste
of water is by doing something as simple as not leaving the water
running when it isn’t in use. A lot of people tend to turn the water
on a lot higher than they need to as well. Simply reducing the
pressure of the water can sometimes help as well. Ever heard the
phrase, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”? Try using your leftover water
from boiling rice, noodles, etc. to water the garden.
3. Buy Local Produce
Buying
local produce is a great way of making your kitchen more
eco-friendly. By bringing local produce into your kitchen you are
helping out the environment more than you will ever know. A lot of
the produce in the United States is shipped around an average of
1,500 miles or so before they are even sold. What makes that bad is
the fact that it takes so much fuel to make those trips. If you are
unable to visit your own local farmers market why not try growing
your own vegetable garden? Not only is it great for the environment
but growing your own vegetable garden can also be quite rewarding
knowing you grew your own vegetables.
4. Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
All the Way
Instead
of using chemical filled cleaning products in the kitchen use
eco-friendly cleaning products. Two well-known brands, Palmolive and
Clorox put out a great line of eco-friendly cleaning products. I
have used items from both lines and love them. Not only do they clean
quite well but they also smell good too.
5. Turn to Energy Efficient
Appliances
Choose
Energy Star appliances. Some appliances can be quite hefty when it
comes to the price so be sure to shop around and choose smartly.
Energy Star appliances are typically anywhere from 10% – 20% more
energy efficient than regular kitchen appliances.