Hot Water

This week's green living tip is one I got from reading sleeping naked is green, by Vanessa Farquharson. One of her green changes was to only boil the exact amount of water she needed. So a couple of weeks ago I decided to try it.

This is what my kettle looks
like when it's not in use. And
when it is in use, too.

Upside: I don't have to measure boiling-hot water to make my oatmeal any longer. After I pour out the water for my tea, the water left in the pot is the exact amount needed for oatmeal.

Downside: All my tea mugs are different sizes, so I don't know how much is the right amount from one day to the next.

Verdict: I am, once again, skeptical about whether or not this really makes a difference. I suppose it uses more electricity to boil water that I don't use, so by only boiling the correct amount I am saving a little bit of energy. Either way, the upside alone is enough to keep me doing it, because anything that prevents me from burning my fingers on a daily basis is good. And this is one of those easy-to-make changes, since I measure the water anyway, and it doesn't add to the number of dishes I have to do. (If you're one of those people who must wash a measuring cup when it's only held water, I'm afraid there is no hope for you.)

Do you pre-measure water that you're going to boil? Do you wash out your measuring cups after every use? Do you think my kettle is really really cute?