Give the refigerator a break

This one is easy!

While I am happily not a bachelor, my refrigerator tends to look somewhat bachelor-esque.  A half-carton of eggs. A couple beers. Multitudes of condiments. And not much else! This is because I tend to do my cooking on Sundays with fresh ingredients, and then eat the product of my labors throughout the week, but I digress....

An empty refrigerator is costlier to operate!  To fulfill its function, your refrigerator must work to maintain the temperature inside its compartments. Gasses (air) are much less efficient at retaining cold than liquids and solids.  Furthermore, imagine what happens each time you open the door to get something out?  Whoosh!  Much of that cold air is replaced by warm[-er] air from your kitchen, and your refrigerator must kick on to bring the cabin temperature back down.  Water and ice will retain their cold-itude much longer than the air they displace.

Good circulation is just as important, so make sure you do not overfill the compartments.

The freezer.  A couple 5-lb. bags of ice will take up the remaining empty space nicely.

The refrigerator.  I think I can fit a few more gallons here and there.  On the other hand, I could fill the drawers and shelves with beer.  Any liquid will do!

Additional things you can do to take this to the next level:

• Keep the refrigerator compartment between 38-42*F, and the freezer between 0-5*F.  These temperatures are sufficient to keep your food from spoiling, and will save energy.  You may need to use a thermometer and a couple days of adjustments to get this just right.  Remember that an empty refrigerator will not maintain its temperature as well as a full one!
• Clean your refrigerator coils on a regular basis.
• Replace the door seals.  Close the door on a dollar bill--if you can pull it out easily, the seals should be replaced.

For a more comprehensive list of refrigerator-related considerations--especially if you are replacing your refrigerator--please see simplesteps.org.

Happy Greening,

Andy

P.S.  The best greenifications serve multiple purposes, and this is one of them. In Florida, we get these things called hurricanes, you know? Every hurricane season the grocers and news casters dutifully remind us to stock up on water and supplies in the event we should lose utilities to the wrath of the storms, as has happened in the past.  Stocking up on water?  Done!