These 6 big purchases can save energy — and money — at home : Life Kit

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Cook with an induction stove

About 38% of U.S. homes use natural gas for cooking. These stoves emit potentially harmful pollutants into your home. While their greenhouse gas emissions are relatively small, they're connected to a vast system of pipelines and equipment that leaks methane, a gas that has at least 25 times the climate-warming power of carbon dioxide. If you have a gas stove, you're contributing to that system.

Cooking with electricity looks different than just a few years back because more induction stoves are available. These use magnetism to heat a pan and consume less energy than a traditional electric stove.

They may look like the more familiar glass-top electric stoves, but they're not. Consumer Reports has tested cooking stoves and finds that induction ranges outperform gas and traditional electric ones. That includes simple tasks like boiling water, says Shanika Whitehurst, associate director for product sustainability at Consumer Reports. "We've gone from it taking 20 minutes to it taking under 90 seconds.""...

Switching to electric appliances and vehicles is a fantastic way to make a positive impact. Not only does it help the environment, but it also saves you some cash in the long run. Plus, electric appliances are getting better and cheaper every day. I totally agree with Joel Rosenberg's advice of not rushing to replace all your stuff at once. Just wait until your appliances are on their last legs, and then go electrify!