When it comes to living more sustainable and making a difference towards the problem of global climate change, every little thing you do counts. So here are some tips for small, easy changes you can make in your kitchen that will help to reduce your energy consumption and lessen your environmental footprint.

1. Only fill your kettle with as much water as you need. The more water you boil, the more energy that’s required, and if that water isn’t going to be used, you’ve wasted the extra energy it takes. Remember some of the water is going to escape as steam, so if you want a cup of tea, just add a cup plus a tablespoon or so more.
2. If you’ve just boiled the kettle and you have extra water left over, use it in soups or for boiling vegetables instead of using cold water from the tap.
3. Put lids on your saucepans when cooking. This conserves heat and lets you cook at a much lower temperature. Simmering in a covered saucepan will cook your food just as quickly as rapidly boiling it in an uncovered pan.
4. When cooking on the stove top or in the oven, turn off the heat 5-10 minutes before you normally would but leave the food in the oven or on the element in a covered saucepan. Your food will continue cooking because of the heat trapped inside the pan or oven and the heat that’s still in the elements.
5. If you tap water takes ages to run hot, heat water in the kettle instead for doing the dishes or using in recipes.
6. Open and close the oven door as quickly as possible. Every time you open it, the temperature drops by about 20 degrees.
7. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full, on the economy cycle. If there is food left on plates, etc rinse them under cold water before putting them into the dishwasher, especially if they will be sitting for while before you turn it on. Avoid rinsing in hot water as that alone can use as much energy as a full wash cycle.
8. When washing up by hand, use as little water as possible and don’t leave the tap running when you’re rinsing. The best thing to do is to have 2 plastic bowls in the sink, one with hot soapy water and the other with clear rinse water to dip the washed dishes into.
9. Check the seal on your refrigerator to make sure it’s working properly. If you can close the door on a piece of paper and run it around the edge, you need to replace the seal. Also be careful not to fill your fridge too full, especially with items in the door trays as this can prevent the door from closing properly.
10. Turn off all appliances at the wall when not in use. The amount of energy used by always-on clocks, lights and LEDs is significant.

The trick is to make a conscious effort to implement these simple tips, until you have replaced your old habits with these new, energy-saving habits.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because you have to engage in activities that use excessive amounts of energy at work, that there’s not point in turning your appliances off at home. Every change you make towards a more sustainable lifestyle, no matter how small, makes a difference. In fact, changing the things you do have control over helps to offset the damage done by those things you don’t have control over.