Green Your Kitchen

Aug 24, 2010 | Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation

Appliances | Lighting | Hot Water | Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Kitchens are intense: they provide a lot of fun, but use a lot more water and energy than any other room in the home. Because use is so high, kitchens are a great place to go first when greening your home.

Consider your fridge first. If your box is over 10 years old, probably time to upgrade. New fridges use the same amount of energy as a 60 watt light bulb on 24/7. Old fridges use 200 - 400% more energy than new fridges.

Another great place to find energy savings is lighting. Consider taking out a few bulbs, or switching to CFLs or LEDs. Kitchens have lots of lights on, and for longer hours. So, small changes will make a real difference.

And while you're going green, don't forget about your waste. Food scraps that go into the trash turn into methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. But when you put those scraps into the garden as compost, they don't have that destructive effect. In fact, composting food scraps avoids methane and creates a rich and nourishing soil base in your garden.

Check the list below for a menu of simple actions to green your kitchen. Follow the links, and when something fits, add it to your plan. (Each link pops out into an activity box with a My Plan panel on the right. The screenshot at the right is an example. Click "Add to my plan" and the activity will be saved. Use the Take Action tab on the home page to see all your activities.)

Call us for a FREE consultation on greening your kitchen. Our Green Home Experts can answer your questions about which activities are best for your home and lifestyle. 1-800-314-5997.

Appliances Lighting Use full loads in dishwasher Turn off lights when not using them Use economy setting on dishwasher or air dry Remove unneeded bulbs from fixtures Get rid of old refrigerator Upgrade to CFL bulbs Install a new efficient dishwasher Upgrade to LED bulbs Get rid of old freezer Replace old fluorescent tube fixtures Hot Water Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Install aerators on faucets Compost kitchen and yard waste Use full loads in dishwasher Set up a recycling center Install a new efficient dishwasher Recycle used CFLs Use a timer on hot water recirculation pump

Want to talk over your options? Have questions? Speak with a WattzOn Green Home Expert for free. Call 1-800-314-5997.

We are your free, independent, qualified, green home energy experts. We don't sell windows, furnaces or insulation or anything else for that matter, and while we can recommend products, we don't get paid by manufacturers. What we do provide is informed, expert and unbiased guidance on your best and most-effective opportunities to save energy, save money and make your home more green. WattzOn can also connect you to our network of qualified and verified local green home energy auditors and green home contractors who do great work.

Keywords: save energy, lower your bills, lower energy bills, save on energy bills, upgrade lighting, CFL lights, CFL bubls, compact fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent, LED lighting, LED lights, LED bulbs, dishwasher economy settings, economy settings on dishwasher, air dry dishes, refrigerator, upgrade refrigerator, compost kitchen waste, kitchen compost, compost kitchen scraps, faucett aerators, indoor water efficiency, recirculation pump, hot water recirculation pump, get rid of old freezer, get rid of old refrigerator, how to know when to upgrade refrigerator, how to know when to replace refrigerator