The following is an excerpt from [1] Climate Change: Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Difference by [2] Amanda Cuthbert and [3] Jon Clift. It has been adapted for the web.

• When you use natural gas or propane to cook with, carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced; this is the main cause of climate change.
• When you use electricity to cook with, the power plant burned coal, gas, or oil to produce that electricity — emitting CO2 in the process.

What can I do about it?

• Cut food into small pieces before cooking — it will cook more quickly.
• Select the correct saucepan size for the heating element or gas flame.

• Put a lid on top of the pan when you can; your meal will cook much more quickly and you won’t be wasting energy.
• Turn down the heat when a saucepan comes to a boil. You don’t need as much heat to keep a pot boiling as you do to get it to boil, and the contents will cook just as quickly.
• Only use sufficient water to cover vegetables when cooking them in saucepans.
• Use a steamer for vegetables — you can cook two or three vegetables on one element or gas ring.
• Consider using a pressure cooker for cooking some foods — it reduces cooking times dramatically.
• Make one-pot meals that only need one element or gas ring.
• Use your oven efficiently by filling up as much of the space as possible.
• If you’re cooking a meal in the oven, don’t be tempted to keep on opening the oven door to see how it’s all going, as you lose a lot of heat doing this.

If you do just one thing: When boiling water, use only as much as you need.

Related Posts:

• [4] What Does My Garden Have To Do With Climate Change?
• [5] 10 Tips to Lower Your Carbon Footprint When You Shop
• [6] 5 Tips to Turn Your Icebox into a Low-Carbon Super-Fridge