Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday dedicated to overdoing it. But even as we indulge, we can still be sensible about our energy use.
Try these tips to keep your holiday energy use under control.
- If you’re expecting a large gathering for Thanksgiving dinner, lower your thermostat a degree or two. The heat generated by your oven and your guests will compensate for it.
- Use the microwave instead of your regular oven whenever possible. Microwave ovens use less than half the power of regular ovens, and cook food much quicker.
- Use lids on pots to retain heat while cooking. Tightly fitted lids on pots and pans help keep heat in, enabling you to lower the temperature settings and shorten cooking times.
- Let your leftovers cool before refrigerating them. Putting them in the fridge while they’re still hot will raise the temperature of your fridge and cause it to work harder to cool back down.
When it comes time to clean up, skip hand-washing your dishes. Use your dishwasher. It uses less energy and water.