Green Kitchen Trends Part 5 - Appliances
The kitchen is the most energy-intensive room in the home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, lighting, refrigeration and cooking are responsible for 41.5% of a home's energy consumption. Add dishwashers, electronics and a plethora of preparatory paraphernalia, and you've got an environmental hot spot. Oversized and energy-inefficient appliances are the number-one problem with conventional kitchen remodels. It is recommended to replace older major appliances with the most resource-efficient models that you can afford, making sure that are only as large as you need. Refrigerators and dishwashers that are more than 10 years old and stoves that are more than 20 years old typically are inefficient and polluting the environment in some way. Energy Star labeled products are a great place to start looking for new appliances. Energy Star is the trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.
The label was established to: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy; and make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.