Does going green mean we have to ditch the beer fridge?
The beer fridge is under attack. Beer drinkers who are serious about helping the environment should get rid of their old energy-guzzling beer refrigerators, says Denise Young, a University of Alberta researcher writing in the journal Energy Policy.
The beer fridge tends to be a vintage unit, often exiled from the kitchen by the arrival of a more-efficient fridge.
A 1985 fridge uses about 1,060 kilowatt hours a year, authorities say, while newer units consume 275 to 440 kilowatt hours annually, depending on the size. of the fridge. Tossing out the old beer fridge and replacing it with a new unit is one remedy. But it could be costly.
Choosing between a cold beer and a green enviroment is a tough call.
I had a beer fridge in my basement, but it died last year and I was not able to fix it.
That is how I ended up going green with my cold beers. Now my beer has to share space with food for the family. The beer is confined to one shelf. It is a sacrifice.
How do you wrestle with the cold beer-old fridge issue?
Anyone got a green solution?
Comments
I use my old dorm room fridge for my beer. It's small enough to use less power, yet large enough to hold 12 bottles or 18 cans.
Posted by: Rick | May 27, 2008 8:29 PM
If everyone ditches their old beer fridges just think of the ozone depleting refrigerant that will be released. Oh I forgot the ozone hole is not a big deal anymore. Lots of people got rich on the refrigerant change outs so it can go away. When enough people get rich off of global warming it too will go away. Stick with the old fridge another couple of years and everything will be forgotten.
Posted by: Mark | May 28, 2008 8:42 AM
I have a vintage Kenmore kegerator and I'll be damned if I'm going to get rid of it.
When, (if!), it gives up the ghost, I'll buy a kegerator conversion kit and install it into a cheap, energy efficient fridge.
No way would I ever consider ditching the beer fridge!!
Posted by: Rick | May 28, 2008 2:15 PM
If you keep your beer in the fridge with the rest of your stuff, aren't you opening the door to that fridge more often? Wouldn't having a small fridge used exclusively for beer be a better idea so as to open the main fridge less?
Posted by: bryanintimonium | May 28, 2008 4:30 PM
I have never owned a beer fridge myself, I'm confined to a small 1br apt that I share with two other people, so having an entire fridge dedicated to beer would be impossible. Although it might as well be a beer fridge itself, given that there's usually more beer than food in there on any given day. So that's my green solution! Switch out the lightbulbs in your fridge to energy efficient ones where possible, and share space with your other perishable items. AND! Switch to bioheat!
Has anyone ever heard of it, or has switched to it? I want to start taking initiative in turning my home into a greener household, one way I have started is by switching out all my lightbulbs in my home to energy efficient lightbulbs. And I am also seriously considering switching over to bioheat as an alternative to regular oilheat. The thing that I love the most about it is that it’s completely clean burning, and is comprised of a b5 blend of oils which are derived from natural plant and vegetable sustainable resources such as corn, hemp, and avocados just to name a few. If you all want more information on how bioheat works, just go on to http://oilheatamerica.com/index.mv?screen=bioheat I work with NORA to bring this info to you all!
Posted by: Sam | May 28, 2008 4:47 PM