| Have you made a commitment to live greener? | | | | - No heat waste when cooking is done |
| Many people are working toward becoming | | | | Advantages of Electric Stoves |
| greener in their everyday lives in an effort to | | | | Electric stoves also offer many advantages for |
| reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut back on | | | | cooks and in energy efficiency. |
| their carbon footprints and save money. As part | | | | - Burner elements sized for cooking utensils |
| of that effort, green enthusiasts have turned | | | | - Easy to clean, especially glass cooktops |
| their attention to their kitchen habits. While there | | | | - Electric stoves offer additional cooking modes - |
| are many small steps that people can take to go | | | | convection, fan, microwave, etc |
| green in the kitchen, one big step is replacing that | | | | Of course, there are drawbacks to both electric |
| old kitchen stove with a more energy efficient | | | | and gas stoves as well. Electric stoves with glass |
| model - one that suits the way you cook and | | | | cooktops and induction elements, for instance, |
| reduces the amount of energy that you use to | | | | require the use of real metal cookware - glass |
| put food on the table. | | | | pots and aluminum pots won't work right because |
| When it comes to choosing greener appliances, | | | | the heat from the induction element won't |
| most homeowners rely on the Energy Star rating. | | | | transfer properly. In addition, the cookware used |
| Energy Star is a government certification program | | | | on a glass cooktop must be perfectly flat or |
| that labels appliances that are energy efficient. It's | | | | much of the energy used for heat will go to |
| so successful that it's become an international | | | | waste. |
| standard. Choosing a stove that has an Energy | | | | Energy Efficiency Tips for Choosing a Kitchen |
| Star is the most obvious choice when buying a | | | | Stove |
| new stove, but it doesn't really do much to | | | | - When choosing an electric stove, choose the |
| narrow your choices down. There are other | | | | stove with the most efficient heating elements |
| choices you can make that will affect how much | | | | possible. Cooktops with induction elements are the |
| energy you use and how much carbon you save. | | | | most energy efficient, followed by halogen |
| Electric or Natural Gas | | | | elements and finally electric coil elements. |
| The first question most cooks ask themselves | | | | - Gas stoves with electronic ignition use 40% less |
| when choosing a new stove is "electric or gas"? | | | | gas than those with a pilot light. - Choose a model |
| There are points in favor of each choice. Gas is | | | | that you'll be happy with for at least a decade. |
| obviously a fossil fuel, which is a limited resource, | | | | The longer you use your new stove, the longer it |
| but until we switch over to renewable energy | | | | will stay out of the landfills. |
| sources to generate electricity, most electrical | | | | - An electric stove with an oven that has |
| power is generated in coal-burning power plants. | | | | convection and microwave options gives you |
| As long as that's the case, a gas stove and an | | | | more flexibility in energy use. |
| electric stove are pretty similar in terms of | | | | - Read the Energy Guide label to compare one |
| carbon footprint. | | | | stove with another when making a choice for a |
| Advantages of Gas Stoves | | | | green kitchen stove. |
| Gas stoves offer many advantages for cooks. | | | | Remember, though, that the most efficient stove |
| They include: | | | | in the world is only as efficient as your cooking |
| - Easier and more accurate temperature control | | | | habits. Look for green cooking tips to help you |
| - Instant-on heat | | | | make the most of your new energy efficient |
| - Instant adjustments in temperature when you | | | | stove. |
| lower or raise heat | | | | |