school energy&environment

Saving energy in the kitchen

The dishwasher
For a washing-cycle at 65°C, a dishwasher consumes an average of 20-30 grams of detergent, 1.5-2 kWh and it produces about 1 kilogramme of carbon dioxide.
Remember not to position this electrical appliance near the refrigerator and make sure there is a BIO button so that it can be used with detergents that do not contain phosphorus (a very polluting agent).
Some practical suggestions:

• clean the filter and the small holes of the rotating arms;
• regularly fill salt in the salt compartment so that the  anti-scaling device continues to work efficiently;
• use rapid or economical  low-temperature (max. 50°C) washing cycles;
• do not select the hot-air drying option, save 45% of the energy of a complete cycle by opening the dishwasher door and letting the dishes dry on their own, that represents about 5% of the electric energy for domestic use.

The refrigerator
The refrigerator is the electrical appliance that remains constantly on and that uses more electricity than all the other appliances. It is important that we choose a refrigerator that has the capacity and the technical characteristics that are suited to the real needs of the family unit (e.g.  100-150 litres for one person, 220-280 litres for two people). We must not forget that till not long ago, all the refrigerators contained gases in their cooling circuits that are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
The refrigerator must be positioned far from sources of heat (dishwasher, oven, cooking range, radiators) and at least 10 centimetres away from the wall in order to guarantee ventilation that is necessary for the cooling coil. The dust must be cleaned periodically from the cooling coil, in order to guarantee a good cooling performance.
Some practical suggestions:

• periodically check the seal of the rubber refrigerator door gaskets;
• defrost the freezer when the layer of ice is more than 5 millimetres, because electricity consumption can increase up to 30%;
• regulate the thermostat according to the room temperature;
• do not put hot food or uncovered liquids in the refrigerator, because this causes an increase in the layer of ice on the sides;
• avoid filling the refrigerator excessively so that the air can circulate freely.

The oven
Currently technology guarantees excellent cooking performance and remarkable energy saving with gas ovens, compared to electric ovens. Self-ventilated models  provide a more rapid and uniform heating.
Some practical suggestions:

• use all the oven shelves;
• avoid opening the oven when it is cooking;
• the oven can be turned off a little before the end of the cooking process, leaving the food to continue cooking inside the oven.