Being 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.

Reclaimed Wooden Floor Planks May Be Harvested From Other Buildings

When harvested from old buildings such as homes or barns, the buildings must be meticulously deconstructed in a manner that will preserve the reclaimed wood and protect it from damage. Once these old buildings are deconstructed, the reclaimed wood begins a long journey of being prepared, transported, and transformed before it ends up in your home as wooden flooring. You can see where, compared to traditional wooden flooring, reclaimed wooden floors, while great for the environment in comparison, certainly take a lot more work than cutting down the tree and running it through a saw mill.

Flaws Add Character To Reclaimed Wood Floors

Embedded materials such as nails, rocks, and building hardware from the lumber′s previous home have to be very carefully identified and removed in the initial steps so as not to damage the saws and other equipment that will be used in shaping the reclaimed wood. This is a tedious process, and although it addresses some of the character marks that make reclaimed wood so sought after as they embody the timelessness that is so endearing about reclaimed wooden flooring, there is often a limit to just how much character any piece of lumber should have before it’s just plain trash. Sometimes this limit is obvious, but sometimes there is a system of grading where the customer has set a particular limit on how many flaws the lumber should have. When buying reclaimed lumber, suppliers will often focus on grain quality and species, which means that obtaining the highest possible yield from each batch of reclaimed wood is an absolute necessity.

Reclaimed Wood Floors Use Something Previously Left To Waste

Up to half the reclaimed wood will end up going to waste in the production of high quality reclaimed wood. This probably seems like a lot and, in a way, it is, but consider how rich someone could be if they could turn just half of a city’s garbage into something that could be sold for a profit? Not only that, but something that was actually desirable and considered superior to its competition. Suddenly half seems like a lot, and that’s what this wood originally was – waste.

Wood Is Used For More Than Just Wooden Flooring

We’re constantly surround by wood. Not only is it all throughout our forests and parks, but it holds our books, our computers, and even our butts in our sofas and chairs. However, our world economy is based on mass production and high speed delivery, which ultimately dictates the price of all things. Reclaimed wooden flooring and other products made from recycled antique wood are really no different than organically grown food and other sustainable lifestyle items. They are somewhat more pricey than their cheaper, mass produced cousins. However, in the case of reclaimed wooden flooring, you’re gaining not only a gratifying wooden floor, but one made of a more enduring material. Reclaimed wooden flooring is certainly not for everyone. But if you intend to make an environmentally friendly home, it would be worth your while to see what’s out there.

Want to learn more about wooden floors? Check out Wooden Flooring Info.