How can we make our end-of-year celebrations more eco-friendly?

The holiday season is a time for celebration, gatherings, and festive feasts. Whether we're pampering or impressing our guests, we spend a lot of time cooking. But with feasts also come food waste and overconsumption of energy... However, it's possible to enjoy the celebrations without deprivation, by adopting new consumption habits and taking simple steps to reduce our ecological footprint.

Electrolibre offers eco-friendly tips for your appliances without diminishing the joy of entertaining.

Our Appliances in Eco Mode

The Fridge in Evening Wear!

It's the appliance where we most often find our guests, young and old. So let's give it a makeover!
Vacuum under and behind the fridge to remove dust that accumulates around the condenser. In addition to improving its performance and extending its lifespan, you reduce its electricity consumption by about 10%.
Check if your refrigerator is level and slightly tilted backward. This slight tilt helps the door close and prevents it from remaining open without your knowledge. A door left open for a long time significantly increases energy consumption and the risk of compressor breakdown or overheating.
Inside, sort things out. Compost expired food and clear your shelves of jars that have been cluttering them for months. Organize what remains, respecting the cooling zones. This extends the shelf life of our food and, by extension, reduces food waste. Using transparent containers prolongs shelf life and allows us to find what we're looking for faster. Also, remember to change its water filter. For deodorizers, several ecological options are now available.

A Better-Used Stove, an Invaluable Gift!

Even though the fridge is the most energy-intensive, it's with the stove that we can most easily reduce energy consumption. First, check that the bulb is functional to avoid opening the oven door during cooking.
Use an element of the same diameter as your pots and pans and cover them for better efficiency.
Preheating the oven for half an hour is unnecessary. Only 10 minutes are enough! Similarly, turn off your oven about fifteen minutes before the end of cooking: the accumulated heat will finish the job.
For our famous Christmas cookies, use reusable silicone sheets instead of parchment paper.
When choosing the menu, favor slow-cooked, low-temperature recipes. These consume less energy while often being more flavorful. And why not stew? A slow cooker uses 80% less energy than oven cooking.

An Organized Freezer for the Festivities!

As with the fridge, inventory the contents of your freezer.
By organizing and labeling food, you reduce door openings and prolonged searching.
Allow hot food to cool completely before placing it in the freezer. This avoids large temperature variations inside and thus unnecessary compressor operation. Also, remember to wipe containers properly so they are dry before storing them in the cold.
Never leave a freezer space empty. Fill them by using bottles filled ¾ with water. These frozen bottles will lower the temperature inside the appliance and, when the door is opened, help your freezer return to its proper operating temperature.

The Dishwasher, a Precious Guest.

When entertaining, there's always... dishes! There's no escaping it. And since we're celebrating more ecologically, we use washable utensils.
Start your dishwasher when it's full to capacity, and use the "short cycle" and "eco cycle" functions.
There's no need to rinse dishes; new models handle this function, simply scrape off food scraps and put them in the compost.
Remember to clean your filter regularly!
For drying, opt for air drying. This can reduce energy consumption by more than 10% compared to heat drying.
Also, remember to read our tips for keeping your dishes sparkling clean even in the dishwasher.

And Now... What Are We Eating?

And while we're at it, why not become a locavore for the holiday season this year? Prioritizing local purchases is undoubtedly an eco-responsible way to make a difference. Even in winter, it's now possible to buy fresh Quebec food. Food chains visibly identify these products under the Aliment Québec logo. Or, with a little research, you can find local producers who will be happy to share their passion with you. The UPA has created an application to help you.

Happy Holidays!

Sources: https://www.hydroquebec.com/residentiel/mieux-consommer/electromenagers/conseils.html