Appliances
Energy Star
One easy way for homeowners to help save a little energy is to buy appliances with energy star ratings. According to the Energy Star website www.energystar.gov, “ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2008 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars — all while saving $19 billion on their utility bills.” A large number of household appliances now have the Energy Star logo. By opting to buy a product with the energy star logo the homeowner saves money on their own energy bill while also doing a little to save the environment.
Induction Stove Tops
With an induction cook top, there is a dramatic drop in energy wasted. Because the energy supplied goes directly to the pan by use of a magnetic field, twice as much energy goes into cooking the food instead of being wasted. As a comparison, 40% of the energy in gas gets used to cook, while with induction 84% percent of the energy in the electricity used gets used to cook. This is by far the better choice of cook top; however it is still fairly expensive for the average homeowner.
Refrigerators
According to the US Department of Energy, refrigerators use up to 14% of a home’s electricity. Side-by-side refrigerator/freezers use 10% more electricity than top and bottom Fridge/Freezers. Through-the-door water and ice dispensers and automatic icemakers can increase electricity use by up to 20%. Try to avoid those energy hogs and always look for the little energy star sticker.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers use a majority of their electricity simply to heat the water used to clean. According to one study by the Rocky Mountain Institute, today's more efficient models use less than half the water and only 1/4th the electricity of 10-year-old models. Always look for Energy Star dishwashers. This is the easiest way to find a more efficient and therefore greener dishwasher.
Lighting
Natural Light
The most important thing you can do for your kitchen is to create it in a way that it can utilize natural lighting. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, designs using natural lighting can reduce energy used for lighting by at least 50 percent. Try using Skylights and Large windows to increase the amount of sunlight that can permeate into your kitchen. This also makes it plant friendly and we all know the benefits of plants in the home.
Low-energy light bulbs
Changing your light bulbs is, by far, the easiest way to make an energy-efficient change. Using low-energy light bulbs can make a substantial difference both in the energy they save and also with the cost of usage. There are many kinds to choose from. If you’d like more information about the types of bulb to get and how much money they can save just go to this site to learn more http://www.edf.org.
Where can I get more information or buy items like these?
http://www.energystar.gov/
www.lowes.com
www.homedepot.com