hhgreen

A Sub-Zero refrigerator is the mark of a professional kitchen for the home chef. Walk into a kitchen featuring this restaurant style appliance, and you know you're in the kitchen of someone who loves to cook.  And they last forever: I once lived in a house where the owner was proud to tell me the 20-year old Sub-Zero refrigerator had come across the country after she had graduated from law school in New York.  

Bring Sexy Back

Yves Behar, founder of the integrated design agency fuse project, kicked off Greener Gadgets with a challenge to designers to "put the sexy back into green." Behar said this is the most exciting challenge that designers have had in the last 20-30 years and will lead to innovative products. Behar showed off examples of his own work for clients: One Laptop Per Child, Jawbone, Mission Motors and Swarovski.

Sarah Rich, formerly of Dwell magazine, moderated the panel, “Green Living Begins at Home,” which focused on the challenges and opportunities for creating a sustainable lifestyle within the home. The panelists all agreed that consumers have to be responsible for their energy consumption and must be equipped with the right information. Architect Ellen Honigstock stated, "You can't change what you don't know."

Vote Green with Your Wallet

On Thursday morning, Jaymi Heimbuch of TreeHugger.com interviewed Jeff Omelchuck, founder of the Green Electronics Council and EPEAT, a green electronics certification program required in more than $60 billion of government and enterprise purchasing contracts worldwide. The program will be re-launched as a consumer facing brand and will appear on products in retail stores later this year. "What can we do to increase the greenness of consumer electronics products? Buy them," said Omelchuck. "Manufacturers are good at listening to the market."

In the afternoon session, “Gadget Talk,’ Tom Hadfield, COO of LaboGroup, demonstrated the award-winning Andrea air filter purifier, which uses household plants to rid household or office air of toxic substances, including formaldehyde. Based on an aesthetic approach and designed by French designer, Mathieu Lehanneur, and Harvard professor, David Edward, Andrea accelerates the rate at which the plant is cleaning the air.

The second compelling ‘Gadget Talk,” was given by Leo Bonnani, founder of Sourcemap. Bonnani described Sourcemap.org as a collective online tool for life cycle assessment and supply chain transparency to help consumers know where the elements within their devices come from and what they are made of. Sourcemap, an open source project of the MIT Media Lab, calculates the carbon footprint of laptops and other CE devices and allows users to build lifecycle maps of different products.

For the afternoon “Green Spotlight” session, Joe Hutsko, author of Greener Gadgets for Dummies, interviewed Maria Tate, senior industrial designer, Hewlett-Packard and Peter Fannon, vice president, corporate and government affairs, Panasonic, about their company's sustainability strategies. Tate discussed HP's innovative closed loop eCartridge recycling process.

TV industry going green

Fannon gave an update on Panasonic's success in reducing its C02 emissions one year ahead of schedule and how the company incentivized all employees to develop and meet environment targets.

Fannon discussed the industry-wide effort by television manufacturers to improve their energy efficiency significantly. He noted the average large screen now uses less than 100 watts of power. Also, he pointed out the green aspects of video streaming capability on TVs and predicted that we will soon see a future that allows consumers to control their home energy use through their TV's remote control.

hhgregg offers a selection of LED HDTVs, the most energy efficient television technology available to consumers. An LED TV can save up to 40 percent of the energy used by its cousin, the CCFL-backlit LCD TV. If it's time to go green in your household, visit an hhgregg and see how far you can go.

Sports venues across the country have new players on their fields as they host The Pro Expo, a 30 city tour event to help those in the design, building and remodeling industries build their business skills and help feed the hungry. Thermador and Bosch are two Fine Lines brands participating in these educational events sponsored by Pella Windows and Doors.

During the free events, attendees can obtain continuing education credits, learn about the latest products, services and tips to help build their business and support local food banks in partnership with The Salvation Army.

One of more than 20 brands on display, Thermador is the only kitchen appliance manufacturer taking part in the tour and will showcase five products, including a 48-in. Pro Series Harmony dual-fuel range and hood, 36-in. Pro Series Freedom French door refrigerator and 24-in. Pro Series Emerald and Pro Series Sapphire dishwashers.

Training and educational credits will be offered in partnership with the National Association of The Remodeling Industry (NARI), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and American Institute of Architects (AIA). Sessions will cover proper window installation, marketing ideas, construction tips, trends, and green building.

Events will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. showcasing products, services and the latest building practices.

Events scheduled in hhgregg and Fine Lines states:
March 4 — Atlanta, Turner Field
March 9 — Charlotte, N.C., Bank of America Stadium
March 16 — Richmond, Va., Richmond Int’l Raceway
March 30 — Philadelphia, Citizens Bank Park*
April 6 — Pittsburgh, PNC Park*
April 20 — Columbus, Ohio, Schottenstein Center
April 27 — Cincinnati, Ohio, Great American Ball Park
April 29 — Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Browns Stadium

hhgregg will open six new stores in the Harrisburg, PA and Wilkes-Barre, PA markets this Spring.

Replacing older appliances and other electronics with new energy efficient models can save consumers noticeable amounts on their utility bills. While most utility companies offer a comparison of energy usage from one month to the one past, users may want to know more.

Smart grid projects are underway to provide consumers with the information they may want, but a national service is projected to take several years to implement. In the meantime, individual digital energy monitoring devices are available. Whether you need that extra bit of motivation to replace energy-hungry appliances, or want to maximize energy savings on more efficient appliances by changing your own habits, monitoring is a simple solution.

A study by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory of the Energy Department showed that attaching usage monitors to household electronics and making the data accessible to homeowners through their computers prompted a voluntary reduction in energy.  The report concluded that this reduction over a 20 year period could save $70 billion on spending for power plants and infrastructure, and avoid the need to build the equivalent of 30 large coal-fired plants.

Green-based businesses are encouraging people to use monitoring tools. "A big part of our mission is to empower people with more information, so it made sense to encourage the purchase of energy efficient thermostats and other gadgets that keep your finger on the pulse of your family’s energy usage," said John S. Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronics and e-waste, and parent company of 1-800-Recycling, "Being better informed is the first step to reducing your carbon footprint and actively making an environmental difference."

hhgregg has a large selection of Energy Star Rated appliances. Find them online and in our stores.

• Georgia's Cash for Appliances Program
• Reduce Carbon Footprint: Use Eco-Savings Calculator
• National Broadband Plan Includes Energy Saving Initiatives

Compliments of Chef Tim Love for Thermador

Chef Love tells Thermador he makes fresh ricotta cheese everyday in his restaurant, The Lonesome Dove Bistro located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is surprisingly simple to make and adheres to the principles of green cooking: use fresh ingredients and make it yourself.

This homemade cheese takes just minutes to prepare if an induction cooktop is a part of your kitchen. Otherwise, allow up to an hour and a half to bring to the proper temperature where the curds will naturally separate from the liquid.

After five minutes in the refrigerator, you will have a bowlful of natural ricotta cheese that may be used for a range of recipes from traditional lasagna to low fat cheesecake. It also makes a delicious accompaniment to sliced fruit and is lower in fat than cottage cheese.

Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients
2 quarts whole milk (must be whole milk, do not substitute low fat or skim)
1 quart buttermilk
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons salt

Pour all ingredients into a large saucepan. Turn the burner to high. Just watch it, no stirring. If using an induction cooktop, the liquid will come to a boil in about 5 minutes. Steam will rise, the surface will begin to roll as the seasonings move to the perimeter. The curds will appear. Once you see a pudding-like mass on the surface, turn the burner off. Pour through a strainer over the sink. Pour the remaining seasoned curds into a bowl and refrigerate. After about five minutes, you will have a soft, crumbly cheese.

In response to the growing importance of the kitchen in American family life, Electrolux proposed a new name for the kitchen: The Live-in Room.

If homeowners want their kitchens to become useful spaces for cooking, entertaining, and simply hanging out, changes may be necessary.

The designers at Electrolux offer these tips for transforming a kitchen into a Live-in Room:

Make comfortable seating a priority

Straight-back chairs lose their allure while everything from cozy club chairs to chaises made for lounging vie for valuable floor space. Even a sunken cushioned fireplace hearth beckons. 

Warm up, but don’t overwhelm, the space with color

Imbue the live-in-room with hues infused with light, helping to bring a feeling of optimism into the space. Brighter and fresher shades—of coral, rose, greens and whitened yellows—add a glow, while imparting a sense of peace and calm. And don’t discount the power of a burnished, antiqued look for faucets and hardware.

Use plenty of light

Light up the live-in room with plenty of ambient light, overhead lighting and task lighting. Consider what happens here—cooking, reading, bill paying, web surfing, homework and more—then plan your lighting to meet your needs.

Include technology

Tap technology to help maximize the space. Get wired—laptops are more moveable than a PC. Keep technology out of sight with HDTVs that fold up under cabinets and built in speakers you’ll hear but never see. Look for the latest gadgets like video and voice-activated telephones and motion sensitive lighting to keep your room up to the minute.

Think out of the triangle

Don’t relegate appliances to the traditional “work triangle.” Instead, relocate them to the parts of the room that make the most sense. Who says a dishwasher or winecooler can’t be conveniently located? In the live-in room, great appliances, large and small, are never out of reach.

Surfaces are key

Don’t settle for sub-par surfaces. Choose the right table—one that can do double duty for meals, homework, arts and crafts, bill paying, etc. Round or oval tables encourage conversation. Create countertop spaces that adjust to various tasks.

Design different zones

Rethink the traditional work triangle in favor of live/work zones. Even the smallest kitchen can accommodate different zones for eating, entertaining and everyday living. For example, set up an easel in one corner for arts & crafts projects or put a chaise lounge by the window to relax  and read in. Homework stations are a must for parents who want to monitor the Internet surfing of their youngsters.

The timeless appeal of stainless

Choose appliances you know you can live with, that blend seamlessly. Sleek and stylish stainless steel appliances are a must because they complement a variety of design styles from contemporary to traditional. Another bonus—premium stainless steel appliances stand the test of time by never going out of style.

Make it yours

Put your personality on display. Set aside areas purely for display just as you would in any other room of your house. Use built-ins, free-standing cabinets or shelving to display your collections, books, artwork, photography and more. Experiment with lighting to add drama and call attention to your display.

A Fine Lines sales associate can help put these tips to work as you consider a new kitchen design or simply an update.

The FCC is counting down the days until it presents the first national broadband plan to Congress on March, 17 2010. With just 27 days to go, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski offered a preview of the agency's goals. While his so-called 100 Squared Initiative―100 million households with broadband speeds of 100M bps by 2010―garnered the most attention, the National Purposes Update covered objectives for major government sectors where broadband could play a role, including energy efficiency and the environment.

The 56-page document cites two complementary areas where broadband could be deployed to help achieve the nation's energy reduction goals.

First, the FCC hopes to use broadband as a means to help consumers understand and manage their energy use.  The report said that providing consumers with energy information could reduce consumption by 5 to 15 percent, representing a $60 to $180 annual savings per home. Today, less than 1 percent of customers have real-time access to their daily energy consumption data.

Second, the FCC could support a mission critical piece of the smart grid network: a high speed connection to relay information between utilities, smart appliances and consumers. Already smart grid projects are underway.

In October 2009, GE and Whirlpool Corporation announced the creation of the Smart Green Grid Initiative (SGGI), a collaborative effort aimed at demonstrating the role of smart grid technologies and practices in the achievement of climate change goals. Utilities and technology companies support SGGI including National Grid, Southern Company, AEP, Google, LG Electronics, Landis + Gyr, Echelon, Tendril, Ice Energy, Enspiria, eMeter and Itron.

Jim Campbell, President & CEO of GE Consumer & Industrial said, "Smart appliances connected to the grid can schedule energy intensive activities to take place during lower energy usage periods like evenings and nights, when some renewable resources like wind are more likely to be available."

Meanwhile, consumers can get an estimate of the impact replacing older appliances could have on their homes, their community and the entire country. Electrolux recently launched an Eco-Savings calculator that allows people to easily see how much money, electricity and water can be saved along with a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, simply by replacing older appliances with new, energy-efficient ones.

For example, if all U.S. appliances more than 10 years old were replaced with new ones, CO2 emissions would be reduced by 26.9 billion pounds, the equivalent to taking 2.3 million cars off the road. Americans would save $25.9 bllion over a 10-year period and enough water to fill 235,357 Olympic swimming pools.

hhgregg offers a large selection of green, Energy Star rated appliances. Take a look.

By replacing old appliances with new ones, the average U.S. household could reduce its carbon footprint by about 3 percent. It may not sound like much, but as more and more households install new, energy efficient appliances in their homes, the reduction becomes significant.

Electrolux, the Sweden-based manufacturer of European-style appliances, has created an easy to use EcoSavings Calculator that displays the effects of replacing appliances, 10 or more years old, including refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, and room air conditioners.

The calculator shows consumers how much water, electricity and money on their utility bills they can save in addition to reducing their carbon footprint, a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. CO2 reduction is expressed as an equivalent number of cars removed from U.S. roads, while water, electricity and dollar savings are all pinned to a tangible equivalent.

Take a look at the state of Indiana:

The amount of carbon dioxide emissions saved is equivalent to all households in the sate driving a car 242 miles.

The amount of money saved is equivalent to a stack of U.S. dollar coins more than three stories high.

The amount of electricity saved is equivalent to all Indiana households letting one 60W light bulb shine day and night for 105 days.

The amount of water saved is equivalent to 12 hours of flow from one faucet in every house in the state put together.

If all residents of Indiana replaced their appliances, savings would be significant. Users can also generate savings by city and by individual household. Give it a try. See how going green can save resources for everyone.

Georgia residents can take advantage of the state's Cash for Appliances program on now until federal funds run out.

Green cooks value locally grown, seasonal food, and with spring around the corner, asparagus season will soon make its way from south to north.

I remember the raised bed set aside for asparagus in my Maryland garden. When I moved in, it was the only green in the fenced vegetable garden, a plot I initially mistook for rampant weeds. Once spruced up with an edging of marigolds and removal of the actual weeds, that part of the garden was one of the first signs of spring as tiny asparagus shoots poked their way out of the ground. These slim shoots were tender enough to eat raw, and as a matter of fact, few actually made it to the dinner table.

Pan Roasted Asparagus by Thermador

Ingredients
Serves 3 to 4

This recipe works best with asparagus that is at least ½ inch thick near the base. If using thinner spears, reduce the covered cooking time to 3 minutes and the uncovered cooking time to 5 minutes. Do not use pencil-thin asparagus; it cannot withstand the heat and overcooks too easily.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds thick asparagus spears (see note), ends trimmed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 lemon (optional)

1. Heat the oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add half of the asparagus to the skillet with the tips pointed in one direction; add the remaining spears with the tips pointed in the opposite direction. Using tongs, distribute the spears in an even layer (the spears will not quite fit into a single layer); cover and cook until the asparagus is bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.

2. Uncover and increase the heat to high; season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Cook until the spears are tender and well browned along one side, 5 to 7 minutes, using the tongs to occasionally move the spears from the center of the pan to the edge of the pan to ensure all are browned. Transfer the asparagus to a serving dish, adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and, if desired, squeeze the lemon half over the spears. Serve immediately.

As predicted, as California goes, so goes the nation. Within three months of the California Energy Commission passing stricter requirements on all TVs in the state, Washington, Wisconsin, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York have introduced legislation mandating similar energy efficiency guidelines. Not content with following California's lead, Massachusetts and Washington expanded their bills to cover other home theater components like Blu-ray players and speaker systems.

While energy hogging technologies may be hurt by legislation, energy efficient technologies like LED, could benefit. An analyst at Gerson Lehrman Group, Dr. Munisamy Anandan, gave the green light to LED makers, concluding that green technology worked substantially in favor of LEDs.

Samsung, the U.S. market share leader in LED TVs as reported by DisplaySearch, has next generation LED panels underway, which already surpass California requirements slated for implementation in 2011 and the stricter guidelines for 2013.

"We've been bringing forth technologies well ahead of the energy requirements coming out of California," said Scott Birnbaum, vice president LCD Business at Samsung, "We've been promoting a green LCD panel strategy for quite awhile―developing technologies that allow us to drop power down significantly, and at the same time, we're actually improving the picture quality."

Birnbaum explained that by using two bands of LEDs instead of four and by employing active dimming technology where the LED bulbs respond to the content itself, the next generation of LED TVs will significantly exceed its predecessors' 40 percent energy savings figure.

Consumers can expect to see these more efficient LED TVs this spring.

Home theater components may also be subject to state legislated guideline, but so far, the energy requirements have addressed power consumption during standby mode, when the device is not running, but is plugged into a power source.

More on the greening of electronics at hhgregg:
Georgia Appliance Rebates Available
BRIC Consumers Greener than Americans
Singapore Becomes 41st EPEAT Member

The Georgia E-Star Rebate program offers up to $99 cash back on E-Star approved appliances beginning this Friday, February 12. 

No Valentine's Day would be complete without flowers and chocolate. And as I've mentioned before, it's easy to go green when the star ingredient is chocolate. Several manufacturers offer an organic, sustainable chocolate, perfect for an eco-friendly dessert that relies on pure chocolate flavor. Look for Green & Black's at many stores and 365 Chocolate at Whole Foods.

Singapore joined the EPEAT  green electronics rating system, the first to do so following EPEAT's international expansion in August 2009 and the 41st  in a line of countries participating in the program. Singapore consumers will now be able to easily assess the environmental performance of computer hardware and displays.

Electronics manufacturers like Toshiba embrace Singapore's inclusion. “The EPEAT system offers Toshiba a clear and impartial way to assess and communicate the strength of our environmental design initiatives," said Hidemi Murata, Managing Director of Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd, which has registered the first EPEAT Gold-rated products in Singapore.

EPEAT is the largest environmental rating system for electronics, with a registry of over 1,000 products and more than 40 participating manufacturers worldwide. Last summer’s expansion enabled IT purchasers in the US, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Mexico to compare and select environmentally preferable products based on their environmental performance in their countries. Now Singaporeans have that same ability.

The EPEAT system evaluates electronic products according to three tiers of environmental performance: Bronze, Silver and Gold, based on 51 environmental criteria. Key benchmarks include elimination of toxics, design for recycling, extended product longevity, increased energy efficiency, packaging waste reduction, and takeback and recycling services.

EPEAT is a purchasing requirement for all U.S. federal agencies, and is integrated into hundreds of government, education, health care and enterprise IT contracts worldwide.

hhgregg carries more than a dozen Toshiba laptops in addition to other EPEAT participants.

• New EPEAT Ratings
• Another Rating System Underway: Sustainability Consortium
• Toshiba laptops at hhgregg.com

Electrolux hosts media event for Cook It Raw, an international culinary project focusing on green cooking techniques. Like the perfect food and wine pairings, Electrolux sponsored chefs demonstrated food and green pairing is equally appealing in today's eco-sensitive world.

With the participation of a group of avant-garde chefs at Electrolux Professional headquarters in Pordenone, Italy, Cook It Raw was presented to journalists and food critics last month.

The U.S. was represented by  Chef Daniel Patterson of Coi in San Francisco and Chef Dave Chang from New York's Momufuku and joined by chefs, Renè Redzepi from Noma in Copenhagen and Claude Bosi from London's  Hibiscus for  a live demonstration of the cooking concept

“If Cook It Raw is synonymous with cook it green, Electrolux Professional couldn’t be left out of this wonderful initiative”, says Alberto Zanata, Head of Electrolux Professional. “Electrolux Professional has been chosen as one of the preferred partners of this project because our company stands for social responsibility and a sustainable approach. The Green Spirit range is an evidence of it, thus including the most energy efficient and environmentally-sound professional products.”

In its second year, Cook It Raw redefined raw as meaning fresh as well as strong and wild. “Innovation and technology in the kitchen can become tools to highlight the taste and quality of raw ingredients, without altering or manipulating their nature and in compliance with an environmental concern," continued Zanata. "This is just the way we want it to be at Electrolux”.

Electrolux appliances are available at Fine Lines stores.

Find out more about green cooking every Wednesday at hhgreen.com

The greenest TVs available today are LCD HD TVs with LED backlights, commonly referred to as LED TVs. Sales of LED TVs in 2009 surprised industry analysts considering a tight economy and the premium price for LED technology.

"We estimate that shipments of LED backlit LCD TVs were 2.6 million in 2009 and will be 27 million in 2010," Paul Semenza, Senior Vice President at DisplaySearch, an industry research firm and part of the NPD Group. That's more than a ten-fold increase.

Not quite a year ago, Samsung announced that it has begun mass producing the industry’s first ultra-slim LCD panels suited for large size TVs.

Samsung’s edge-lit LED (light emitting diode) backlighting offers lighter weight and thinner designs, which is preferable for wall mounting over bulkier direct-lit LED LCDs. The LED-backlit panels also are mercury-free and consume less energy.
 
A 55-inch Samsung HDTV with edge-lit LED backlighting uses at least 45 percent less power than direct-lit LCD TVs, consuming just 130 watts.

By the close of 2009, Samsung LED TVs represented more than 50 percent of all LED TVs sold in the twelve month period.

Hhgregg offers the full line of Samsung LED TVs, and even better, all TVs are on sale now through Saturday. These energy efficient TVs can be delivered and ready to go in time for Sunday's big game.

• More than the Turf Will Be Green at the Super Bowl
• All About Samsung's Series 8 LED TVs
• LED on a Budget

There are 40 concessions stands at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, plenty of food choices for the more than 75,000 fans who will fill the stadium on Sunday. You can bet Stadium Nachos will be a favorite.

Bring that perrenial game day favorite home. Sure to be a crowd pleaser, inexpensive and easy to do. This version from Thermador is a snap to make. Brown the meat ahead of time and reheat covered with foil  with about five minutes to go in the second quarter of the game. When the whistle blows for halftime, proceed with the assembly, a quick heat in the oven and it's on the table before the third quarter starts. Feel free to add additional toppings like sliced olives, diced fresh tomato and sliced avocado.

Nachos Supreme with Three Cheeses (or 4!)
Preparation Time: 20 min.
Oven Mode: Convection Roast/350 degrees F
Rack Position: 3 (third from bottom)
Total Cooking Time: 8 to 9 min.
Servings: 8

8 cups tortilla chips
1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 cup each shredded Sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella cheese or Mexican 4-cheese blend (1 ½ cups total)
1/3 cup sliced green onion
2 Tbsp. minced, drained chilies (fresh or canned), such as green chilie, Jalapeno or Serrano.

Optional toppings: Prepared salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro

1. Place oven rack on position 3 (third from bottom). Preheat oven on Convection Roast/350°F.

2. Arrange chips in a single layer on a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with sides. Heat for 5 minutes; remove from oven.

3. In a skillet, brown ground meat with seasoned salt until no longer pink; drain well. Sprinkle ground meat, cheeses, onion and chilies over chips.

5. Return nachos to oven. Continue to bake just until cheese is melted. Immediately serve hot nachos with desired toppings.

The full line of Thermador appliances can be found at Fine Lines locations.

Looking for energy efficient appliances? See all Energy Star Rated appliances at hhgregg.

The 44th Annual Pillsbury Bake Off in Orlando is right around the corner. On April 11 – 13, 100 finalists from 36 different states and the District of Columbia will compete for the $1 million Grand Prize plus $50,000 in additional cash and prizes, including GE Profile appliances. This is the 37th Bake Off to include GE appliances, both in the contestant kitchens and as prizes.