Okay, so we could all hand wash more than our jumpers but, be honest, who wants to, let alone has the time? The washing machine has freed up millions of people from the drudgery of hand washing, and few would want to sacrifice their beloved washing machine or Launderette (Laundromat).
But washing machines use phenomenal amounts of energy and water just to keep you in clean shirts all week - they can account for around 13 per cent of household electricity consumption and 12 per cent of domestic water usage. So it is best to opt for the most energy-efficient model possible, no matter if there is an initial cost premium. Design options to look out for include eco-buttons, which define wash temperatures and loading levels, higher spin speeds that will reduce the moisture content of clothes and consequently decrease the energy used if tumble drying, and automated detergent dosage.
Other tips include buying a machine with the right capacity for your needs - if the machine is too large you will be wasting energy on your small loads. And look for a machine with a hot-fill facility that uses hot water from the household water supply, preferably gas heated and with |
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Choosing the right heating method for the job is the key when cooking your food. If you want to reheat a meal for one, then opt for the microwave oven, and if you are toasting just a single slice of bread, don't use the grill (broiler), go for the toaster instead - both will use less energy.
Although microwave ovens are more energy efficient than conventional ovens, don't be fooled into thinking that by surviving on a diet of pre-prepared and heavily packaged microwave meals you are helping the environment. The environmental costs involved in processing the food, packaging it and shipping it to your local supermarket, which you will probably have driven to, far outweigh the benefits of one cooking method over another.
When choosing a cooker or a microwave oven, ask the supplier for as much information as possible regarding energy efficiency and environmental policies. Go for a gas cooker rather than an electric one if you have a choice - gas is more energy efficient - and look out for cookers with options such as electric grills that allow you to switch on just half of the element for smaller jobs, or double ovens, so that you can use |
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Open the cleaning cupboard in most kitchens and you will find a veritable arsenal of cleaning products for use all around the home. Not only do these products pollute the home environment, but when you throw away the last remnants of them they continue to pollute the wider environment. In addition, greater quantities of bleach and detergent are discharged to sewers from domestic households than from factories manufacturing them. Don't forget, too, the cumulative effect of all that plastic packaging on our landfill sites, too.
Unfortunately, manufacturers are not required to list specific ingredients on labels so you do not necessarily know what you are getting. Many products not only threaten the environment but may also cause certain allergies and diseases in those people using them and living in the chemical fog they generate.
No one needs more than one or two cleaners at most, and you could probably get away with nontoxic home-made cleaners for most of your needs. But if you do wish to buy a particular cleaning product, go for the one without synthetic chemicals, that is rapidly biodegradable, phosphate free, chlorine free, vegetable oil based, unscented, dye free and concentrated. Liquid soap, for example, is a safe option, |
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