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Challenge: Retire Your Second Refrigerator/Freezer

Refrigerators and freezers consume a lot of energy, and older models use more energy than newer ones. So it stands to reason that keeping an old second refrigerator or freezer is a luxury you might not want to pay for, both in the amount of CO2 it generates and the added costs on your energy bill.




What You Should Know

• If you have an older refrigerator in your basement or garage, it could be costing you $100 per year to keep it running. That is a stiff price to pay to keep beverages cool.
  
• By recycling an old refrigerator, you could use the money you save to buy 25 12-packs of drinks. You'll also reclaim valuable storage space for other items.
  
• If you only need extra food storage around holidays or special events, you could keep the old refrigerator but plug it in only when needed. Leaving it off for ten months of the year can save nearly $85.

Easy Things You Can Do
The Department of Energy (DOE) recommends that consumers do one of the following:
Retire and recycle pre-1993 refrigerators permanently and not only will you be reducing the amount of CO2 your home puts into the atmosphere, but you'll see an noticeable savings in your energy bill as well.

Remember to recycle it properly! It's important that older models that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are disposed of properly. Whether you use your local recycling center or garbage collector, make sure they will capture the CFCs before recycling it. Some local recycling options:

• If you are a PG&E customer, they will pay you to take it away. Call (800) 299-7573 to arrange for pick up and PG&E will send you a check for $35.
  
• The Palo Alto recycling center will take old appliances for a fee of $20 for residents and $25 for non residents. For more information call (650) 329-2655.
  
• The Sunnyvale Smart Station also takes old appliances for a fee. For more information call (408) 752-8530.

If you really need a second refrigerator year round, replace the old one with an Energy Star model and save over $55 per year. Pick the smallest size to maximize savings. A compact refrigerator might be the best choice and you'll save even more, up to $75 per year.

Source: Energy Star 2007 Partner Resource Guide