Looking after the Planet Part 4

The Energy Saving Trust has lots of ways to help and for the next few weeks we’ll be passing on their hints and tips, they’re easy to follow

This month… the kitchen

There are lots of easy ways to use less energy when creating your culinary masterpieces.

• Always use the right sized pan for the job.
• Use the right sized hob ring for each pan.
• Defrost food in the fridge overnight rather than microwaving it.
• Keep the oven door shut as much as possible; make sure the glass door is clean so you can see what’s going on. Every time you open the door you lose heat.
• Keep lids on pans as much as you can, to reduce heat loss – turn the heat down when it reaches the boil.
• Ensure warm foods cool down before placing them in the fridge.
• Cutting food into smaller pieces often speeds up the cooking time
• Freeze your leftovers, or eat them the next day. Wasted food makes a big contribution towards carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.
• Use a microwave to cook or reheat food where possible as this is usually a much more efficient method of cooking
• Covering food with a microwave-safe lid or pierced cling film will hold moisture and speed up cooking times in the microwave.
• Only boil the water you need in your kettle, and de-scale it from time to time
• Cooking big batches of food at once is more energy efficient. Storing spare portions in the freezer gives you a supply of ready meals.
• If you are considering buying a new fridge or freezer, look out for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. All Energy Saving Recommended appliances are guaranteed to be among the most energy-efficient available on the market – saving energy and reducing running costs. If you are planning on buying a new refrigerator for example, choosing an Energy Saving Recommended model will save around £50 on energy bills over the lifetime of the appliance and around 235kg of CO₂.
• Make sure air can circulate around the back of your fridge and freezer.
• Make sure your fridge and freezer are set to the right temperature, not too cold and not too warm. This ensures food is kept effectively and ensures energy is not being used to keep the appliance running at too low a temperature.
• Don’t keep the fridge or freezer door open for longer than necessary.
• Try not to put the fridge or freezer next to a heat source such as a cooker or radiator, or in direct sunlight.
• Check what you have in the fridge and freezer before you go shopping. Wasted food is a big contributor towards carbon dioxide emissions
• If you are buying a new dishwasher, look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo. This is your guarantee that you are buying one of the most energy and water efficient machines available.
• If you are considering buying a dishwasher, choose a machine that is correctly sized for your needs – if you have a small household, consider a slimline or compact machine whereas a large family may be better suited to a full-sized washer.
• Make sure you have a full load before you use the machine – a half load setting usually uses more than half the energy of a full load.
• Use the eco setting wherever possible.
• Always remember to switch appliances off standby when you’ve finished using them.

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