"I suppose this might be a good time to talk about your use of electrical appliances," says Renee, watching me spark up our gas hob to boil water in our whistle kettle. Surely they can't criticize this- it doesn't even have to be plugged in. Mike and Renee begin to discuss whether it's more energy efficient to boil water on a gas hob or to use an electric kettle.
After some debate about how much flame should be on shoe beneath the kettle, Hannah interjects, "The inherent inefficiency of conventional electricity production makes gas preferable in terms of carbon emissions. Unless your supplier draws completely on renewable energy sources, in which case I'd recommend a UK-made steel, concealed-element kettle like those made by Russell Hobbs. Steel is longer lasting, won't potentially leach chemicals into the water and you can boil as little as you want.
from A Life Stripped Bare by Leo Hickman
How do you make your cuppa tea?
