Green Options

Australian researchers have figured out a cool new way to tackle the threat of global warming, by setting up a network of ‘talking’ fridges.

But wait, the idea isn’t as crazy as it might sound. The fridges feature cutting-edge technology enabling them to communicate with each other via a network to share and store energy from renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines.

According to inventor, Sam West, “The fridges are designed to talk to each other, negotiating when it’s a good time to consume electricity and when it’s better not to.”

Also published in Sustainablog
This is The City. A city with lots of old appliances that seemingly get discarded onto the street or simply get tossed in the city dump. Not a pretty picture for the numerous washing machines, refrigerators and other large appliances that not only create a landfill nightmare but could seemingly be put to use.

So what do we do with our old washing machines and such? [...]

This is The City. A city with lots of old appliances that seemingly get discarded onto the street or simply get tossed in the city dump. Not a pretty picture for the numerous washing machines, refrigerators and other large appliances that not only create a landfill nightmare but could seemingly be put to use.

So what do we do with our old washing machines and such? We stumbled upon a [...]

To wrap up my ode to John Henry (and a more sustainable lifestyle) I am going to cover a few more everyday household plug-ins by giving the current ON the grid offering, it’s OFF the grid alternative, and weigh in on whether a switch is warranted.

ON
The Fridge: We all know what it does and why we use it–so what are the OFF the grid alternatives?

OFF
The Fridge: William “The Refrigerator” Perry, former defensive lineman for my beloved 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears. You could try contacting him to see if he’ll deliver fresh food to your door on a daily basis. I understand he’s not very busy these days.

OFF
Jarring and canning fruits and vegetables to preserve for the winter months may save some space in the fridge, but cannot replace the fridge altogether.

SWITCH?
Realistically, it’s not likely. However, the size of refrigerators in this country is insane. My parents have an enormous fridge and regularly come across 3 year old cheeses and meats that get lost under piles of their newer/fresher replacements. In lieu of a switch to William Perry (we can’t all use him–it’s simply unrealistic) we can buy a smaller, energy efficient fridge, fill it with less food (eat fresher food), and keep the door open for very short intervals (know what you’re getting before you open it). A few generations back, families typically had more members yet much smaller fridges, so it can be done–and you’ll benefit from fresher fare.

Editor’s note: With energy prices on the rise, efficiency has to be a key element of any new appliance purchase. Our friends at GreenBuildingTalk have the low down on several new products for your home that use energy more wisely… and keep those utility bills low. This post was originally published on May 6, 2008.

Consumers are demanding more energy efficient and environmentally beneficial appliances for their homes. Take a look at how several companies are meeting those demands.

Appliances companies are stepping up to offer us more efficient products, along with more styles and configurations. Green kitchen design was a big theme at the 2008 KBIS show, and I wanted to mention a couple specific products from the show that you may want to check out if you’re shopping for an appliance.

Fisher & Paykel’s Energy Star rated, top-loading EcoSmart, IntuitiveEco and AquaSmart washers, are good choices if you’re looking to save water and energy. The AquaSmart washer earned a MEF (modified energy factor) rating of 2.15, which exceeds the DOE 2007 standard of 1.72 by 25%. It also meets the CEE (Consortium for Energy Efficiency) criteria for Tier 2 efficiency adopted on 1/1/07. This makes it the most energy efficient top loading washing machine in North America. These washers are also eligible for utility rebates. Fisher & Paykel’s DishDrawer dishwasher offers the option of an economical, small load using as little as 1.98 gallons of water compared to 2.6 gallons on average for a normal eco cycle.