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In the Kitchen

When you think about all the things that need to be heated, cooled and washed in the kitchen, it’s easy to see how you can use so much energy and water there. But small changes can make a big difference.

What you could do today:

• Help your fridge work efficiently: vacuum dust from the condenser coil at the back of fridge, and ensure there is a free flow of air past the coil. Check the magnetic seal for any leaks. Listen to make sure the fridge’s on-and-off cycle is working. If it isn’t, get the fridge looked at by a qualified fridge repair person. If your model is not frost-free, defrost the freezer when the ice r

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  eaches 5mm thick.
• Use your electric kettle, not the electric stove, when you need to boil small amounts of water for tea, coffee or cooking. Always fill jugs and kettles from the cold tap and only use the amount of water you need.
• Wait until the dishwasher is full before you run it. You don’t need to rinse the dishes first, just scrape the scraps into the compost or garbage bin.
• Use your dishwasher’s economy cycle if it has one. You can also turn it off before the drying cycle, open the door and let the dishes air-dry.
• Use a cold water connection for the dishwasher. The machine will heat the water for the wash cycle and use cold water to rinse.
• Use the microwave whenever you can to cook and reheat. You’ll save two-thirds of the energy you’d use with an electric oven. Microwave cooking also uses less water than boiling or steaming on a hotplate.
• Choose the right sized hotplate for your pot. Use small hotplates for small pots, and big hotplates for big pots. This helps prevent heating the room as well as the pot.
• Put the lids on pots and simmer instead of boiling. Using a pressure cooker will also save energy.
• Use steamers and pot dividers to cook all your vegetables at once.
• Clean the grease vent in your exhaust fan regularly to keep it running efficiently.
• Always use a plug in the sink. Don’t let the tap run continuously.
• Ask yourself whether you really need your microwave to tell you the time. Microwaves with digital displays can use much more energy over a year in standby than in actual use, so switch it off at the wall if you aren’t using it.

Planning ahead

• Buy efficient appliances: look for the stars. This is for both electric and water appliances.
• Choose gas cooktops over electric. They are cheaper to use, often have more responsive controls and produce less greenhouse emissions.
• Look for ovens with high levels of insulation and triple glazed windows. Fan forced ovens are about 30% more efficient than conventional ovens, which can waste up to 90% of the energy used.
• Choose saucepans with flat bases and tight fitting lids.
• Install energy efficient fluorescent lighting.

How Much Does it Cost?

Appliance	Time Used	Estimated Cost
2400 w Kettle	3 Minutes	2 cents
1200 w Microwave (reheat)	5 Minutes	1.5 cents
2000 w Ceramic Cooktop	5 Minutes	2.5 cents
Three-Star Dishwasher	1 Hour	10 cents
1800 w Grill	30 Minutes	13 cents
1100 w Oven	30 Minutes	8 cents
1250 w Small Stove Element	30 Minutes	9 cents
1800 w Stove Element	30 Minutes	13 cents
50 w Small Fridge	1 Hour	7 cents
75x 1 - Door Manual Defrost Fridge	1 Hour	1 cent
200 w 2 - Door Auto Defrost Fridge	1 Hour	3 cents
230 w 2 - Door Frost - Free Fridge	1 Hour	3.5 cents
100 w Chest Freezer	1 Hour	1.5 cents
These costs are a guide only. Actual costs may vary.

Green Guide References: Synergy Energy, Aurora Energy, The Australian Greenhouse Office, CoolMOB Northern Territory

All costs included in the Green Guide are guides only. Actual costs will vary according to size and brand of appliance as well as where and how the appliance is used.

November 2007