Luckily, there are several things you can do to reduce your energy consumption and the bonus is that you’ll also save money on your utility bill!

1.    If you’re not using it, then unplug it.  Many electronic devices today have LED’s that draw energy even if the device is not powered on.  Your VCR, Coffee Maker and even your electric toothbrush all use a little bit of energy when plugged in.  Those little bits can quickly add up, so when your appliances are not in use, try to get into the habit of unplugging them.
2.    Shut down your computer.  While it’s nice to have your computer always ready for use, it also uses a lot of electricity.  When you go to bed at night, power off the computer, monitor and printer.
3.    Get a programmable thermostat.  Getting an automatic thermostat can be a great way to reduce your heating costs, be it from oil, gas or electricity.  With a programmable thermostat you can set it to the optimum temperatures and then forget about it.  Set it to 68 degrees Fahrenheit  for daytime use when people will be home and 55 degrees Fahrenheit when you are sleeping or at work.
4.    Make your water heat more efficient.  Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and get an insulated sleeve for it to insure it is working as efficiently as possible.
5.    Use your lighting wisely.  Switch to more energy efficient lighting like LED lights or compact fluorescent lights and be sure that you don’t leave lights on overnight or when no one is in the room.
6.    Energy efficient laundry.  Even doing laundry can be an opportunity to save on energy.  Make sure you always clean the lint basket after each load and be sure to set the appropriate water level in your washer.  Doing these will help your washer and dryer run more efficiently.
7.    Set the right temps in your fridge.  Your refrigerator should be set to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit for most efficient use.  Also, make sure you clean out all the dust bunnies behind and underneath the fridge.
8.    Don’t run the dishwasher until it is full.  Make sure there is a full load in the dishwasher before you run it and use the energy saving cycle.
9.    Buy energy efficient appliance.  Using energy efficient appliances can help reduce energy usage as well as your electric bill so the next time you are in the market for a new appliance, make sure you look at the energy star rating and buy the most efficient model you can afford.

One little thing you can do is reduce your use of paper towels.  The average family uses several rolls of paper towels a week but you can reduce your usage by keeping some cloth towels handy in the kitchen and use those for wiping your hands, spills and other uses that would normally call for a paper towel.  You’ll save money on paper towels and there will be less of them in the landfill which, in turn, helps the environment.  Also, the less paper towels that are manufactured, the less pollution in the air from those manufacturing plants.

Did you realize that some types of cooking are more energy efficient than others?  While many cooks love a gas stove, the fact is that the newer model electric stoves are more energy efficient.  Not only that, but if you opt for a toaster oven or microwave instead of using your big oven, you can drastically reduce the energy needed for cooking.

Another thing you can do in the kitchen to help the environment is buy local whenever you can.  While this might seem like a small thing, transporting food is actually a big drag on the environment.  Flying bananas into upstate New York from the tropics can be costly in terms of air pollution.  Not to mention that foods from the grocery store can be loaded with pesticides and your local growers probably don’t put so much junk on their crops.  Plus, it’s nice to support the farmers in your own community.

Using reusable cloth grocery bags, reusing jars and composting organic materials are great ways to reduce waste.  You can compost your kitchen scraps, paper and even cardboard.  This will make great fodder for your garden and does double duty as it acts as an organic fertilizer saving you from buying fertilizer which saves you money and ensures that harmful chemicals don’t leach into the environment from commercial fertilizers you might have had to purchase.

Possibly the most important thing you can do to be “greener” in the kitchen is to recycle.  Make sure you get a good handle on all the plastic and glass materials you use that can be recycled.  Check the rules at your landfill as to what has to be separated out and buy yourself some bins to help you keep things separate.

Lastly, you want to keep the environment in mind when you clean.  Cleaners full of chemicals can be bad for the environment and the fumes from these can be harmful to the health of yourself and your family.  There are plenty of natural things you can use for cleaning like vinegar, baking soda and tea tree oil that will help keep your kitchen sparkling without harming you or the environment.