I am sure that most of you heard it from time to time from your parents while growing up: “close that refrigerator door.” I heard just about anytime that I was checking out the snack variety and trying to make a choice.
Sure, I could have and should have gotten an idea for what was available and decided with the door shut, but it seemed pointless at the time to close it, decide for a minute and then reopen the fridge for what I wanted. But, with so many people, this was all too often a staple exchange at my house.
Now I can see how correct my parents were that I was both wasting energy and that standing with the door open “would not make something appear.” But there’s yet another way you can make your refrigerator and freezer run more efficiently.
Simply, keep it stocked! The reason my parents did not want the fridge door to be open for very long was that the air was escaping (rapidly). But if your fridge is full of containers, those aren’t going to flow out of the refrigerator like the air between them will. They will hold their temperature when you open the door, and over time reduces the amount of energy the refrigerator uses to keep your food cold.
Get creative!
Okay, so you have not been to the store for a while, so your fridge is looking barren. You don’t want to put your cereal or chips in there (for obvious reasons). Maybe you live alone and your refrigerator is never that full to begin with.
So, how do you keep it stocked without wasting food? It can’t always be full, or you increase the risk of throwing away lots of good food, which is costly and is hard on the environment and on world food supplies (especially when large numbers of people are wasting).
Put a pitcher or two of water in the fridge on the top shelf. This displaces air that would otherwise be rushing in and out. Yes, you can remove it for drinking, and while warm air will take its place, when you put it back, you’re adding a reservoir of cold fluid back into the refrigerator. Plus, you won’t likely be removing it every time you get something out of the fridge.
Have a shelf or two you don’t use? The back of the shelves are a great place to put some empty plastic containers (cleaned out butter or yogurt containers). You’ll be able to tell that it isn’t your current butter (or yogurt, sour cream, etc.) container, by the weight difference, plus the fact that they’re in the back of the refrigerator. In this way, you’re keeping it full of containers of air that don’t have the option of flowing out when you open the fridge. Remove as necessary for more space and you can add them back later.
It might seem a bit eccentric, but you are improving your envirohuman impact, saving some money on electricity, and chances are, no one’s digging into the back of your refrigerator anyway!
The same works in a deep freezer (or upright) if you’re not using all of the space. You can double its duty by having containers of ice cubes to serve as a backup water supply in case of a tainted water/boil water order situation (or the impulive party!). Your freezer and fridge are more likely to remain cold during a power outage in this way, also, even if you need to open them.
Related posts:
- EHI Quick Tip: Defrost Food in Fridge Overnight Can you save energy by defrosting food overnight? You've got...
- EHI Quick Tip: Collect Compostables Indoors How can you compost without having to constantly take scraps...
- Free Refrigeration: It’s Called Winter! Find out the easiest way to save energy and money...
