The sad truth is: "When it comes to wasting energy, statistics show Americans win the Gold medal." Then we complain about the energy bills being so high. Yes, we all know the electric cost per Kilowatt is expensive and that is harder for us as individuals to control, but we do have the ability to keep our bills low.
Consumers Are Guilty Too Okay, I understand an example is needed that we can relate and act upon. Lets use the electric cost and refrigerators. We all get electric bills and hopefully we all have refrigerators. Now accountability and responsibility are two words used often in emails and comments I receive from readers. They talk about how Corporate America all too often fails to be accountable and responsible. Nevertheless, we consumers are also at fault. We don't take time to review the complete picture. We buy products, like refrigerators, irresponsibly. This causes us to spend more money on special features that we don't need and will barely use. In the long-run we have a product that uses more electricity, more energy, and costs us more money. Much more money. Corporations want more money from us so they sell us a "Bill Of Goods" and we want more bells and whistles all because of an ugly word spelled g-r-e-e-d.
...you can receive an alert message while on the toilet that your cheese
just became old and moldy.
Buy Milk Why this example, because a while ago I heard about the new "Talking" refrigerators. No, not the kind with various sarcastic recordings that play when the door is opened to help someone lose weight. This is about the new line of appliances, such as refrigerators and ovens designed to communicate with a home network or your smart phone. Now your refrigerator can tell you to buy milk while you are trying to watch a movie or when you just fell asleep, because your teenage son arrived home and drank the remaining amount of milk. Thus causing your cell phone to wake you up for that all important alert message:
"Buy More Milk"
"Buy More Milk"
Image is a Link In addition, if you take the time to rescan all your items you put into your fridge after buying them, you can receive an alert message while on the toilet that your cheese just became old and moldy. "Yeah right!" Is it not enough we scan our food at checkout, now we must rescan everything into the fridge just so it can tell us the cheese is bad. "Aah hello! I am already on the toilet, just a little too late!"
Wait, there is more! This French door designed talking fridge has a LCD panel that gives you access to online shopping, calendars, a list for groceries, and photos. Praise the almighty computer chip, I now have photos! Yet, I already have photos on my refrigerator, held up by various decorative magnets. Okay, but this computer stuff is better! Right? Yes, until the electric bill comes in the mail.
My 20 cubic foot refrigerator/freezer operates for the year at around $79.00 and I pay one of the highest Kilowatt rates in the country. If I went with all the electronic temptations, my cost can easily be $250.00 a year. I am saving over $170.00 a year and almost $3,000.00 since I bought the unit some 17 years ago. I would rather donate that amount to help others than pay it as an excess to the power company.
Here is a list of things that I DO NOT have because they would add greatly to your refrigerator's electric bill if you did:
Here is a list of things that I DO NOT have because they would add greatly to your refrigerator's electric bill if you did:
| GADGET A Butter Warming Tray or Compartment inside the door | ABSURDITY An electric heater inside a cold refrigerator just to keep the butter soft. | SOLUTION Place butter out on your table 5 minutes before cooking and eating. Voilà! Just as easy to spread. |
| Freezer at the Bottom Design French doors or Side By Side doors are also designs that puts the whole Freezer or part of the Freezer at the bottom | At the bottom is the HOT motor, fan, etc. that operates the refrigerator. So lets place the freezer, that is trying to freeze food, right over the HOT motors. | Buy a refrigerator with the most efficient design! Freezer at the top. This lowers the electric bill because Cold Air drops into the fridge below. Thus, less operating time. |
| Condensation and Energy Saver Switch for electrical heater all around the fridge's door frame that evaporates any condensation on the door in the summer | Turn this switch OFF and you turn ON the electrical Heating element wrapped around the Cold refrigerator's door | Place your fridge away from a window and out of the sun light. Pull curtains closed and locate away from hot stoves and ovens. |
| Ice Maker and / or Water Dispenser inside or outside the door NOTE: An Ice Maker came with my most efficient model. I made it more efficient by disconnecting the thing. | How lazy have we become that we can't fill an ice tray or pour a glass of water? Yes, not opening the fridge's door will save energy, but it doesn't off set the energy consumed by these gadgets! | Open the door take out the ice trays or water pitcher. CLOSE the door and do the deed. After you are done, return items to the fridge or freezer. Yes, close the door again. |
| Computerize Communicating Refrigerator to your Home Network and Smart Phone | Your fridge still can't cook dinner for you. However, it will raise your electric bill. | Continue to manage and live the way you always did and your mother/grandmother did and your Great Grandmother, who gave thanks for having an Ice Box. |
Great Grandma was right when she said: "Waste Not, Want Not."
Today we need to Want Not, so we Waste Not or at least take the time to consider the complete picture. To be accountable for our purchases is no more than realizing the difference between what we need and what we want. If we do this and stick to what we need, then we will not be sold a "bill of goods" all the time. We will save energy, money and our environment for our own great grandchildren.
Bill Lauto, GTG
Today we need to Want Not, so we Waste Not or at least take the time to consider the complete picture. To be accountable for our purchases is no more than realizing the difference between what we need and what we want. If we do this and stick to what we need, then we will not be sold a "bill of goods" all the time. We will save energy, money and our environment for our own great grandchildren.
Bill Lauto, GTG
