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Do You Need A New Greener Fridge?

November 7, 2008 in Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | 2 comments

You might. There are some easy ways to figure out if it’s time for a new greener fridge, or if you should stick with what you’ve got.

If it’s old: Older refrigerators suck up double the energy of new Energy Star refrigerators. A good rule of thumb is that if it’s older than 12 years, start shopping.

If it’s newer: Even newer fridges may be replaced with a more energy efficient version. Just because it’s new, doesn’t mean you ended up with the most efficient model. Of course this means you’d be giving up a fridge (lots of materials and cost) which is something else to consider. To learn how much money you could save by trading up to a greener fridge, visit the Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator, then decide.

If it’s broken: If there’s a major issue with your fridge, and it’s going to cost a lot to fix PLUS it’s already old, thus less efficient, I wouldn’t pay for the repair. If you can swing it, get a newer fridge.

What’s next?:

Find a recycling center for your old fridge. Visit the Recycle My Old Fridge Campaign or Earth 911 to get started.

You also might be interested in:

Just for fun: DIY Recycled Refrigerator Magnets

Green Your Fridge & Freezer

October 29, 2008 in Green Your Home, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

Greening your fridge and freezer is easy and helps to contribute to an overall eco-friendly kitchen.Try these tips:

Buy Energy Star the next time you upgrade your refrigerator.

Own the smallest fridge you can live with that meets your needs. Not everyone needs a giant fridge.

Consider if you really need an extra fridge or freezer; say, in the garage. Even energy efficient appliances suck down on energy resources.

Maintain a tight seal on both your fridge and freezer doors. You should be able to stick a piece of paper in the door and it should stay put.

Most newer freezers self-defrost, but if yours doesn’t, be sure to defrost regularly because a freezer can’t function with thick walls of ice build up.

Vacuum the coils on the back of your fridge at least every six months which will improve performance and energy use.

[Wicked cool retro blue fridge available at Big Chill]

Get Great Green Deals for the Home

September 9, 2008 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re in a shopping sort of mood and need some goods for the home, be sure to check out ShopGreen at PriceGrabber.com. You can find all sorts of goodies at PriceGrabber, but it’s very cool that they now have a green section. There’s a devoted area just for home goods such as Eco-Friendly Flooring, Energy Star Cordless Phones, and more.

It’s silly to pay more then you have to, and you don’t have to if you use PriceGrabber. To insure you’re getting real green goods; products that are low-impact and environmentally-friendly, items featured must fall into one of the following categories…

  • “Energy Star-compliant products
  • Products made from organic or recycled materials
  • Products made from environmentally-friendly materials including hemp, bamboo, soy, and seagrass
  • Biodegradable products and compost bins
  • Products with low usage of natural resources including LED light bulbs, low flow showerheads/toilets, solar power, and cloth diapers
  • Products made by noted environmentally-conscious companies like Patagonia”

So when shopping, visit ShopGreen at PriceGrabber.com, and see what sorts of green deals you can pick up on the cheap.

Unplugging Your Home & Other Ways To Save Energy

September 7, 2008 in Save Energy by Jennifer | 1 comment

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save energy

The Environmental Defense Organization notes that Americans waste in excess of $1 billion a year due to power waste. It’s not only our wallets that suffer either. Every time we use more energy than needed in our homes, we waste resources and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Luckily you can take some simple energy saving steps that can both save you money and help protect the earth:

Unplug your house: There’s no reason to leave items plugged in when they’re not in use. Lamps, chargers, the toaster, blender, TV and more all continue to drain energy while plugged in. Unplug when you’re done, to save resources.

Use the right bulb: Energy saving light bulbs can save untold of amounts of energy over time.

Choose the right home appliances: Choose Energy Star products for money and planet saving benefits.

Live small: Live in a home that meets (not overly exceeds) your space requirements. The smaller your home, the less energy it takes to run the house.

Go alternative: Using alternative means of energy, like solar power, can ease the amount of footprint your home personally makes on the earth.

Weatherize: Don’t forget to weatherize properly for summer as well, not just the cold months.

Late night sweeps: Do a late night sweep each evening before bed. Walk through your home, turn off extra lights, and unplug items. Make sure nothing is left on overnight.