Saving the Environment Through MicrowavesBeing eco-friendly seems to be the "in" thing in the last 5-10 years. While it is difficult to determine the extent to which the whole human population is destroying the planet, each of us can contribute in our own small ways. Which brings us to the topic of microwaves. Despite some raised concerns about the dangers of microwaves, more and more people are getting convinced about its benefits to the environment. What I like about this concept is the fact that we don't have to sacrifice efficiency in cooking to create an impact, however small it may be, to the tenets of green living. Using microwaves can save us a lot of time, and that is always a plus when we consider the fast-paced world that we're living in. According to the Department of Energy, cooking only takes up to 3% of a household's energy consumption. Energy consumption by lighting or for entertainment purposes takes the bulk of how much energy we use. But if you can chop down a little from the total amount of our home's energy consumption, why not do it anyway? After all, microwave ovens are much more efficient than conventional ovens, not to mention more fun to use. Let's make some comparisons between cooking devices, and perhaps we could throw on the table a little math as well. By rule of thumb, 60% of conventional ovens are powered by electricity, not gas. Now consider the fact that microwave ovens are far more efficient than conventional ovens. If we throw into the equation the 3000 wattage generated by conventional ovens as opposed to 600 watts to 1650 watts by microwave ovens, you can pretty much discern the discrepancy of energy saved when using the latter. Taking into account the efficiency of a microwave oven compared to a convection oven in terms of cooking food only makes the result more exponential. Hence, a University in Bristol came up with the exact figures after doing an experiment, coming up with a conclusion that microwaves save 30% energy over conventional ovens. The energy saved through the use of microwaves is even more evident when cooking in small portions. One experiment in Sweden, for example, has found out that cooking through conventional ovens used 9.5 more energy as that generated by microwaves after cooking a small but same amount of potatoes in the two kitchen devices under the same conditions. So if you're cooking big meals - a roast turkey or a big chunk of potatoes, for example - it's perfectly alright to use a traditional method of cooking, especially if the food is not fit for microwaves. There are a slew of other advantages in using microwaves. For one, microwaves don't generate as much indoor pollution as traditional methods of cooking do. Also, microwaves don't emit hot steam that causes the room temperature to go down, alleviating the need for air conditioning and ventilation fixtures. So you see, there are many reasons to have a microwave oven in your kitchen. Microwaves not only benefit the environment, they also improve the quality of our lives.
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