Energy Matters

When you consider sustainability habits, have you ever paid attention to the energy that you use to transform and store ingredients? Have you ever thought about how the growing and transportation of supplies leaves a huge overall footprint? It’s time to take action!

The major food-based activities that require lots of energy involve cooling things in fridges and freezers, heating things, and washing.

Here are 14 easy ways to save energy, recommended by chef Anna Jones in her book One Pot, Pan, Planet:

1. Use green energy providers. Make sure that your electricity is coming from green sources, not fossil fuels. Find the best sustainable provider available.

2. Only use as much water as you need. Boiling extra water, for example, takes more time and energy and is then wasted.

3. Select the right burner and the right pan/pot for the job. Make sure the pan/pot covers the hob.

4. Turn off the heat a couple of minutes before your food is fully cooked, particularly if you have an electric stove.

5. Think about what else you could cook while you preheat your oven or with the rest of the heat left when you turn it off. Roasting veggies or nuts works well, for example.

6. How do you cut your food? Did you know that the smaller you cut it, the quicker it will cook?

7. Don’t open the oven repeatedly. Take a look through the glass instead.

8. Don’t hold the fridge door open for extended periods of time and keep your fridge at 5-7 ^oC (41-45 ^oF), or less.

9. Never put hot food directly into the fridge or freezer. It will raise the inside temperature and more energy is required to bring the temperature down again.

10. Make sure that the appliances you buy are energy-efficient.