Honestly, it never would have occurred to me as a significant way to save energy.
But a story in today' s New York Times reports on this growing trend, which some consumers are adopting as much for the symbolic value of un-plugging as for the electricity savings. (NOTE: Many folks have been inspired to unplug by my Green Moms Carnival colleague Deanna Duke, who blogs at thecrunchychicken.com.)
What about you?
Have you replaced your big fridge with a smaller model, with a cooler, or with nothing at all?
Are you using just as much energy going back and forth to the grocery store to replenish fresh food since you can' t store it in the refrigerator any more?
Do you miss cold beer?
While we' re on the topic, here' s what I do to improve my refrigerator' s efficiency:
* I keep the coils clean on the back.
* I bought the most efficient model available, with the freezer unit on top rather than on the bottom or side-by-side.
* I don' t have TWO refrigerators, like many consumers, who keep their old model in the basement or garage for extra groceries, soft drinks, or party supplies.
* I try not to open the door and just stand there admiring my fruits and vegetables as all the cold air escape (admittedly, my kids haven' t quite got this habit down).
* I positioned my refrigerator far from my stove and dishwasher and not in direct sunlight, so it doesn' t have to work extra hard to keep cool.
I' d love to know if you' ve gone "refrigerator free." Drop a line and share your story.
Honestly, it never would have occurred to me as a significant way to save energy.
What about you?
Have you replaced your big fridge with a smaller model, with a cooler, or with nothing at all?
Are you using just as much energy going back and forth to the grocery store to replenish fresh food since you can' t store it in the refrigerator any more?
Do you miss cold beer?
While we' re on the topic, here' s what I do to improve my refrigerator' s efficiency:
* I keep the coils clean on the back.
* I bought the most efficient model available, with the freezer unit on top rather than on the bottom or side-by-side.
* I don' t have TWO refrigerators, like many consumers, who keep their old model in the basement or garage for extra groceries, soft drinks, or party supplies.
* I try not to open the door and just stand there admiring my fruits and vegetables as all the cold air escape (admittedly, my kids haven' t quite got this habit down).
* I positioned my refrigerator far from my stove and dishwasher and not in direct sunlight, so it doesn' t have to work extra hard to keep cool.
I' d love to know if you' ve gone "refrigerator free." Drop a line and share your story.