Green Cooking - Any Suggestions, experience, or sources?

Question

I'm currently working on a paper that must revolve around the concept of energy resources, utilization schemes, storage concepts, conservation schemes, and societal or environmental impact.

After researching just how much energy our microwaves, toasters, ovens, etc. use, I thought it would be interesting to look into what's being done to make cooking our food more environmentally friendly. I've come across some articles on TreeHugger (http://treehugger.com/) but does anyone have any other interesting articles, suggestions, or experience they'd be willing to share.

I'm interested in everything from food transport (using restaurant leftovers to power a vehicle that delivers waste for compost to growers, and picks up new food while at the farms) to alternative cooking methods (solar hot dog cooker made out of foil and an oatmeal canister).

Answer 1

I've been using the concept of "green cooking" for at least the last 30 years!  I bought a solar oven and a solar cook-top for use while camping when I was a boy scout.  I have baked a mountain of biscuits and cooked a lake of stew on them both and have fried enough eggs and bacon to have completely depopulated an entire farm (grin).

As for energy conservation and efficiency, you can throw them all out the window if you will only go for solar electric on-site generation and storage.  Go to the website below to get an eye full....and focus your paper on completely converting a modern house or business, even a restaurant, to solar power.  Don't get confused with solar hot water heating...that is passe' and never really worked any way...Im talking about solar photovoltaic cells and pannels that produce bountiful electricity from the sun.

Point-source water heaters, electric ranges and dryers and washers....there is no end to what you can do with an all electric house and a solar array with battery backup!  100% clean power!!!  And a bountiful supply as well!!!!

Answer 2

The amount of energy used in cooking is so trivial it's not worth bothering with.

The energy used in producing the food is a lot more, but there's really no way around it.  We kind of need to eat to live.