Saturday 26 September 2009

Choosing a Stove for a Green Kitchen - Energy Star is Just a Start



Have you made a commitment to live greener? Many people are working toward becoming greener in their everyday lives in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut back on their carbon footprints and save money. As part of that effort, green enthusiasts have turned their attention to their kitchen habits. While there are many small steps that people can take to go green in the kitchen, one big step is replacing that old kitchen stove with a more energy efficient model - one that suits the way you cook and reduces the amount of energy that you use to put food on the table.

When it comes to choosing greener appliances, most homeowners rely on the Energy Star rating. Energy Star is a government certification program that labels appliances that are energy efficient. It's so successful that it's become an international standard. Choosing a stove that has an Energy Star is the most obvious choice when buying a new stove, but it doesn't really do much to narrow your choices down. There are other choices you can make that will affect how much energy you use and how much carbon you save.

Electric or Natural Gas

The first question most cooks ask themselves when choosing a new stove is "electric or gas"? There are points in favor of each choice. Gas is obviously a fossil fuel, which is a limited resource, but until we switch over to renewable energy sources to generate electricity, most electrical power is generated in coal-burning power plants. As long as that's the case, a gas stove and an electric stove are pretty similar in terms of carbon footprint.

Advantages of Gas Stoves

Gas stoves offer many advantages for cooks. They include:

* Easier and more accurate temperature control
* Instant-on heat
* Instant adjustments in temperature when you lower or raise heat
* No heat waste when cooking is done

Advantages of Electric Stoves

Electric stoves also offer many advantages for cooks and in energy efficiency.

* Burner elements sized for cooking utensils
* Easy to clean, especially glass cooktops
* Electric stoves offer additional cooking modes - convection, fan, microwave, etc

Of course, there are drawbacks to both electric and gas stoves as well. Electric stoves with glass cooktops and induction elements, for instance, require the use of real metal cookware - glass pots and aluminum pots won't work right because the heat from the induction element won't transfer properly. In addition, the cookware used on a glass cooktop must be perfectly flat or much of the energy used for heat will go to waste.

Energy Efficiency Tips for Choosing a Kitchen Stove

* When choosing an electric stove, choose the stove with the most efficient heating elements possible. Cooktops with induction elements are the most energy efficient, followed by halogen elements and finally electric coil elements.
* Gas stoves with electronic ignition use 40% less gas than those with a pilot light. - Choose a model that you'll be happy with for at least a decade. The longer you use your new stove, the longer it will stay out of the landfills.
* An electric stove with an oven that has convection and microwave options gives you more flexibility in energy use.
* Read the Energy Guide label to compare one stove with another when making a choice for a green kitchen stove.

Remember, though, that the most efficient stove in the world is only as efficient as your cooking habits.

Monday 7 September 2009

How to Choose Corn Stoves For Your Home

The ancient people burned wood. They did it for thousands of years without considering whether it's good or wrong to deplete the forest. Then people learned to use coal, oil and other fossil fuels. They did it for ages and only recently started to think about the consequences. What if our ancestors were told that it is possible to burn food without actually harming the nature? Burning food? Although it may sound terrible, shelled corn is a great bio-fuel that is cheap, easily accessible and safe for the environment.

The concept of corn stoves is quite old. The first examples were built by handy farmers themselves closer to the end of 19th century. The first heating device of such kind was allegedly the result of maize overproduction when it was discovered that dried seeds - or shelled corn - burn nicely and provide heat similar to that of wood logs. The idea became popular during the years of Great Depression.

Yet it was not before 70s of the last century when corn stoves hit the mass production. Other similar products joined - barbecues and water boilers.

The main perk of using such heating devices is obviously money saving. You will spend on average $3,000 to $3,300 each season burning fossil fuel oil and only $1,500 to $2,300 burning shelled corn. Another benefit, which is not less important, corn stoves are sources of pure green energy. Maize is grown on fields, it helps filtering the air naturally, plus maize seeds doesn't produce carbon monoxide and nitrous compounds when burnt.

How to Choose Corn Stoves?

There are corn stoves, water boilers and barbecues or grills available for sale. The first is used to provide heating for home during the winter season. Water boilers are used to produce hot water or even to be incorporated into the central heating system of a home. Corn Grill is a good way to start your own green energy campaign by test-driving maize kernel energy. It is a great alternative to the conventional grills that burn wood, coal or even consume electricity. Your friends will love to come to your open-air parties.

Corn Stoves Checklist

* Start with measuring your house's square footage or cubic footage. You will need this number when approaching your dealer. Too small a stove will make you freeze while an enormously big one can waste your money and overheat your home.

* Choose a dealer carefully. See if you can find a neighbor or relative who has already used similar heating equipment and ask for a feedback.

* If you choose to buy your stove from an online shop or eBay, you are likely to save money but be careful. Consult the dealer before you pay the money. Is he going to provide you with after-sales support, can he provide instructions on installing, or maybe he even installs it for free.

* Check if you are able to source cheap shelled corn in your neighborhood and that you are capable of storing kernel properly. It takes a dry and clean room to store it; you cannot afford the dampness to spoil your burning agent.

* Make sure that the features of the device are explained to you - there are several types of heating devices - some can use mixed source of energy that also includes wood pellets, some can strictly not.

* Check the feed system. How often will it be necessary to fill more maize into the hopper? How long can device burn unattended before feeding new portion in?

* Does it have any warranty? It is extremely important, especially if something goes wrong.

If you are ready to advance into the new environmentally friendly technology, a green energy heater will be a great purchase for you. Although it can be quite expensive (prices range from $500 to $3,000) you'll save money on fuel, help protecting the environment and show good will to your community.