Environmental Issues

Today there are high efficiency appliances that consume ten times less electricity for the same functions and generally they are of a higher quality than the older models. Using only these highly efficient and money saving appliances we can reduce the electricity consumption of an average household to 1300 kWhy, without losing any comfort. Since refrigerators are one of the most energy-consuming home appliances I have decided to take the first step in helping my planet and saving my family some money.

I will accomplish this task by buying a standard model refrigerator with a top-mounted freezer and manual defrost since automatic defrost models consume up to two times more energy. The initial cost of a high efficiency refrigerator would range from 70 to 250 higher than a standard model but in the long run it will save my parents 100 in average annual energy costs.  Dollar values assume a national average energy cost of 0.084 per kWh. Also, I will follow a few simple tips like regularly defrosting because frost buildup increases the amount of energy required in keeping the motor running, leave enough space between the refrigerator and the walls so that air can easily circulate around the refrigerator, never keep the freezer too cold, make sure the refrigerator door seals are airtight and cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the fridge since uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder. I should also avoid opening the doors of the fridge often and not leave the fridge door open for longer than necessary, as cold air will escape and last but not least I should not put hot or warm food straight into the fridge.

Refrigerators and freezers are responsible for about 7 percent of GHG emissions (Figure 1) from the residential sector, and are among the biggest success stories for energy efficiency standards (Figure 2). Since the 1970s, refrigerators and freezers have increased in size by a third while consuming two-thirds less energy at one-third the price. Therefore, I feel convinced that replacing my older refrigerator with a high efficiency refrigerator will do my family and the planet good.