If I said that when you stand and stare into the fridge you are contributing to global hunger you’d tell me I was crazy.
Heck, I think I’m a bit crazy even writing it, but each time we use power in our kitchens – from boiling water to simply opening the fridge – we impact the planet through energy consumption.
It’s simple cause and effect really:
- energy use contributes to a changing global climate,
- climate change leads to an increase in extreme weather,
- extreme weather has an impact on both the availability and cost of food.
We rely on precious fossil fuels to heat and cool our food, and small everyday tasks can add up to big emissions – as well as big energy bills. Small changes in those everyday tasks, such as being aware of water and energy we use in the kitchen, can make a big difference in reducing our impact on the environment and our bank accounts.
The July/August Oxfam GROW Challenge is about Cooking Smart and exploring creative ways to save energy in the kitchen, thus minimising our impact on the global food system.
For example, boiling water is one of the simplest kitchen tasks we perform but small changes such as reducing the amount of water used and covering pans while boiling can make a big difference. You can discover more tips here and even enter for your chance to win a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw
Read more here about cooking for the climate and find out how small actions can not only help to slow climate change but have a positive impact on the food system, both locally and globally.
Catch up on all the GROW Challenges here, and if you have any great tips for saving energy in the kitchen we’d love to hear them!
Photo Credit: Nicole Abalde via Oxfam Australia
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