It's easy to forget that just like ovens and other appliances that make heat, fridge-freezes consume a vast amount of energy. In fact, it's the most electricity-guzzling item in most kitchens. Here are a few tips for making sure your fridge runs efficiently, keeping your kitchen's carbon footprint to a minimum.
1. Never place hot food in the fridge
Putting hot dishes straight into the fridge is the quickest way to put it into overdrive, using up more energy than you really need. Wait for food to cool naturally before chilling it.
2. Don't pay too many visits to the fridge
A good one for your waistline, too! Opening the fridge door too often will mess up its cooling system and mean that it has to work extra hard to allow for all the heat you're letting in. Try to take out everything you need in one go, and put everything back at the same time. Admittedly a difficult one if you've got teenagers in the house, but remember you can always put drinks and other non-perishable items in a cool box to keep them chilled for an evening or so.
Follow the jump for more fridge-greening tips!
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Still feeling the pinch of winter? (I admit I slept with my socks on last night). If so, there are many things you can do to reduce energy leakage around the home: putting foil behind the radiators, blocking crevices in the windows and putting a trusty dog or snake draught excluder under the door to name but a few.
Another solution is applying insulating substrates or 'primers' to the appliances that heat up, effectively sealing in the energy. One such product is Therma Coat, whose makers claim will cut your energy loss by 20%.
Related: Top 5 green ways to keep warm
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What could be more fitting for an Earth Day party than serving your canapes on biodegradable plates made from leaves?
The all natural plates are made from sal and siali leaves, from the forests of Orissa, east India, where they have been used for centuries at festivals and weddings. Making the plates is a popular activity in these areas, with many women working on them at home for extra income; the plates are then sold through fairtrade organisations. You can buy a pack of 20 for £4.99 at Ganesha
Doing yoga while stressed out is not a good plan; I tried it on Monday, and fetched up a quivering wreck on the floor as my muscled tensed too much to get into any poses!
One tried and tested way to get you relaxed and help those muscles unclench is to apply lavender, and this soothing scent is actually built in to these fabulously soft yoga mats by Holistic silk. The thick fleece, faux leather mats are also lightweight and portable, and will provide comfort and reassurance, whether you're wanting to exercise, meditate or simply curl up and watch a DVD! £125.00 from Holistic Silk.
The future is here, and it's in your kitchen! Electrolux, best known for its fridge freezers and washing machines, has come up with a fabulous concept that brings household appliances to life.
The hydrosphere is a small self-efficient green house that manages to be a light fixture and science lab all in one. The glass orb contains mineral enriched solutions instead of soil, and the central lamp functions as a gentle heater as well as providing light for your home. Within it you can grow herbs and even small fruits and veggies, making sure you always have some fresh greenery on hand for your healthy lifestyle. [Via Inhabitat]
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Anyone who's ever transported a country bloomer or French stick will know that fresh bread doesn't like plastic, and paper has that annoying tendency to break. But now it seems our old friend bamboo has come to the rescue, and is being touted as the ideal fabric for storing bread.
With this in mind, you can now buy a specially-designed bag made from bamboo fabric, which being naturally water-absorbent and great at repelling bacteria keeps your bread fresher longer. Plus, it's much better for the environment to have a re-usable bag. The 'loaf pouch' pictured above will keep most standard sized loaves, and there's another one designed for baguettes. From $16 at Bamboo bags
[Via Popgadget]
It's probably true to say of most gadgets that the smaller they are, the greener they are likely to be, and let's face it, unless you've got a family of five you're not going to be needing a giant, dust-guzzling beast every time you want to do a bit of hoovering.
That's why I'm a fan of this cute little vacuum cleaner from Morphy Richards, which is part of the new 'essentials mini' collection aimed at single-person households; all of which is worth checking out if you want to downsize your life and lessen your impact. As well as being tiny, the vacuum cleaner pictured here has an 'eco switch' that puts it into a power saving mode for lighter jobs. It's affordable too, at just £29.99 from Morphy Richards.
It's easy to forget that just like ovens and other appliances that make heat, fridge-freezes consume a vast amount of energy. In fact, it's the most electricity-guzzling item in most kitchens. Here are a few tips for making sure your fridge runs efficiently, keeping your kitchen's carbon footprint to a minimum.
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