Energy: the big environmental issue with most household appliances is how much energy they use to run. If they use electricity from fossil fuels then it is contributing to global warming. It may cost a bit more up front, but buying energy-efficient appliances is better for the environment and will save you money in the long-run through reduced energy bills.
Water: the less water dishwashers and laundry machines use the better for the environment — especially in Spain’s dry summer climate.
Resources: it is often hard for consumers to judge the amount of raw materials and energy (known as “embodied energy”) that goes into manufacturing an appliance, but this can also have a significant environmental impact. As a rule, buying smaller and fewer appliances, recycling and buying second-hand if possible will minimise this impact.
General tips
- Check out the ratings: When buying an appliance, look for the energy-efficiency ratings and water-efficiency ratings – the higher the better.
- Size matters: larger appliances need more energy to run; buy the appropriate size for your needs.
- Remember watts important: the measure of energy consumption is the wattage, not the voltage. Some low-voltage appliances still consume a lot of energy.
- Keep it up: keep appliances in good working order so they do not waste energy by working inefficiently.
- Don’t standby: appliances left on standby can account for 5-10 per cent of your home electricity use. Turn things off at the wall instead of leaving them on standby.
- Only run full loads to save water and energy.
- Front-loading washing machines are more energy-efficient than top loaders.
- Fit a greywater diverting valve to the outflow from your dishwasher and washing machine to divert greywater into your garden.
- Use the machine’s economy cycle.
- Wash clothes in cold or warm water rather than hot.
- Use natural, chemical-free dishwashing and laundry detergents.
- The most eco-friendly type of clothes dryer is the solar-powered one in your garden — your clothes line. Reserve the clothes dryer for rainy days and use the line when the sun is shining. It will also save you money on electricity.
- If your fridge or freezer isn’t full, you are wasting energy (and money) just cooling air. Buy a model that is the right size for your needs and no bigger.
- Position your fridge or freezer in a cool, shaded spot. If you put it in direct heat it has to work harder to keep cool.
- For efficient operation, check the rubber door seals are intact, dust the condensing coils occasionally and make sure there is room behind the fridge for air to circulate.
- Beer fridges and wine coolers are often simply expensive cupboards. Keep a couple of beers in your kitchen fridge and get rid of the beer fridge — or just plug it in for a few hours before a barbecue or party.
- Cooking small amounts of food in a large oven wastes energy (and money) heating up air. Don’t buy an oven that is too big for your family’s needs.
- Gas hobs respond instantly when you turn them down or off, so you don’t waste energy while an electric hob cools down.
- Use lids. Putting lids on saucepans keeps more of the heat in the pan and thus reduces the energy you use in cooking.
- Use microwaves, rice cookers, pressure cookers, woks and slow cookers — they all use less electricity than cooking on an electric hob or in an oven.
- Only put as much water in the kettle as you actually need when boiling water.
- Air conditioners
- Buy a unit that is the right size for the room you want to cool. If the unit is too powerful, you will be wasting energy (and money).
- Fans use far less electricity than air conditioning and are a more eco-friendly alternative.
- Improve insulation in your home to reduce or eliminate the need for air conditioning.
- Buy an evaporative air cooling system instead of refrigerated air conditioning. It uses much less energy.
Sky HD • Satellite Systems • LCD & Plasmas • Home Cinema
Tel: 952 665 861 • Troy: 616 549 344 • Rubert: 639 551 352
www.cabletec.tv
info@cabletec.tv
Williams Refrigeration S.L
Air conditioning Installations Sales & Services
Tel: 0034 952 596 404 or 679 284 959
www.airconditioningspain.com
info@airconditioningspain.com
AirtecAC
For the perfect climate, all year round
Telephone Paul Hessey
952 599 019 • 607 793 923
www.airtechacspain.com
info@airtechacspain.com
Brilliant Ovens
Domestic Oven Cleaning Services
Tel: (0034) 952 033 503/699 272 516
info@brilliantovens.com
www.brilliantovens.com
Eco-friendly Appliances
Beauty | Issue 5 — February and March 2009
Beauty | Issue 5 — February and March 2009
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