GE is offering a Grand Prize in their Steam Dream Giveaway of a Profile laundry pair plus a day at the spa of your choice. You can enter at geappliances.com until the contest ends on May 24, 2009. Two first place prizes of a profile dishwasher and six $250 gift cards for second place will also be awarded.
Archives for May 2009
Use Your Appliances to go Green in the Kitchen – Plus a Few Other Helpful Suggestions
Another Earth Day has passed us and just as we make resolutions on New Year’s Day, you might have planned to change your energy wasting ways. Those New Year’s resolutions are difficult to maintain, because we often try to do too much. Making just a few small changes is helpful and can be the key to lasting change.
Lisa Abraham at Ohio.com has compiled her tips for saving energy in the kitchen. They include being creative when using kitchen appliances and modifying some eating habits.
Limit the time the stove/oven is used
Never light the oven or turn on a burner when a small appliance will do the job. Microwave ovens, toaster ovens, electric griddles, panini makers and, yes, even a slow cooker all consume less energy than a traditional gas or electric stove.
Consistently using these small appliances can make a huge difference in your energy consumption, Jackie Newgent a dietitian, cooking instructor and cookbook author of the newly released Big Green Cookbook (Wiley, 2009). said. Even though slow cookers are typically on for hours at a time, they will burn less energy than a traditional oven to prepare the same dish, such as a roast.
Look for ways to lessen the amount of time the oven and burners are on. When cooking pasta, Newgent recommends using skinny varieties, like angel hair, that will cook more quickly. She also uses a method she dubs ”lid cooking” to turn the stove off sooner.
Newgent brings a pot of water to a boil, adds her pasta and brings it up to a boil again. But then she turns the heat off, puts a lid on the pot, and lets the pasta finish cooking from the heated water.
When baking something, turn the oven off five minutes before the item is done and allow the residual heat in the oven to finish the job, she said.
Consider making one meal each week that doesn’t require using the stove at all, such as a salad.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, less meat
Newgent suggests eating one meatless meal per week. It requires more energy to produce meat than vegetables and fruits. Cutting meat out of just one meal per week can lead to significant energy savings over a year, she said.
That salad fits in well here. Think of it as a chance to be a more adventurous eater.
Run an energy-efficient kitchen
While new major kitchen appliances may not be in the budget for many homeowners, most would see an immediate savings on electric bills with the conversion.
Refrigerators should be away from sunlight and heat sources, like ovens. The warmer the environment, the harder the appliance will have to work and the more energy it will use.
Refrigerators also need breathing room — at least two or three inches of open space between the coils and the wall behind them to allow for better air circulation. Keeping refrigerator coils clean of dirt, dust and pet hair also will improve performance.
The harder an appliance has to work, the faster it will wear out.
Constantly opening and closing the refrigerator causes it to lose cold air. The same goes for the oven — keep the door closed as much as possible while in use to keep the hot air inside.
Gas stoves typically are less expensive to run than electric ones.
Always have the dishwasher fully loaded before running, and consider scraping your dishes instead of rinsing them before loading, to save on water.
Newgent also noted that when cooking outdoors, choose a gas grill over charcoal because gas emits less carbon into the atmosphere.
Here is a sample recipe from Jackie Newgent’s Big Green Cookbook:
CITRUS CREAM OF CAPELLINI
13/4 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
12 oz. whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta
1/2 cup organic heavy cream
1 tbsp. unsalted organic butter
Juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp. juice)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black or white pepper, or to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated organic or locally produced Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup raw pine nuts (optional)
Bring 6 cups fresh water and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the pasta and return to a boil. Cover and turn off the heat. Let the pasta ”lid cook” (cook covered while the burner is off) until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
Place the drained pasta back into the dried saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the cream, butter, lemon juice and zest. Cook while stirring until the pasta is hot, about 1 minute. For a thinner sauce, add the reserved pasta cooking water. Add remaining salt and pepper.
Pour the pasta into a serving bowl or serve directly from the saucepan. Sprinkle with the cheese and parsley. Top with the pine nuts, if using, and serve.
Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each.
Recall: Hair Dryers by Universalink International Trading Due to Electrocution Hazard
Name of Product: Special and Narita Hair Dryers
Units: About 3,000
Importer: Universalink International Trading Inc., of La Puente, Calif.
Hazard: The hair dryers are not equipped with an immersion protection device to prevent electrocution if the hair dryer falls into water. Immersion protection devices, which prevent electrocution, are required by industry standards for all electric hand-held hair dryers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves Special (model EX-1800) and Narita (model TE-263) hair dryers. “Special” or “Narita” and the model number are printed on the dryer. The “Special” hair dryers are brown and the “Narita” hair dryers are white and black and fold up.
Sold at: Various retail stores in California from June 2003 through October 2008 for about $15.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the hair dryers and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Universalink International Trading toll-free at (866) 997-6768 between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or email the firm at sales@naritausa.com
Recall: HMI Industries Floor Cleaners Due to Burn Hazard
Name of Product: “Majestic 360” Floor Cleaners
Units: About 44,000
Manufacturer: HMI Industries Inc., of Strongsville, Ohio
Hazard: The recalled cleaners’ wiring can overheat, causing electrical arcing and melting. This poses a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: HMI has received 40 reports of overheating and damage to carpets. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled floor cleaner is a black-colored, canister-style vacuum with a powered floor tool. The words “Majestic 360” and “FILTERQUEEN” are printed on a label located on the unit.
Sold through: Independent distributors nationwide from September 2004 through August 2006 for about $1800.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled floor cleaners immediately and contact the firm to arrange for a free repair at an authorized repair center.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact HMI Industries at (800) 566-5606 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.Filterqueen.com