Refrigerators

One of the worst energy offenders in your home is the refrigerator.  Depending on how old your fridge is you can expect to save hundreds.  Buying a new energy star rated refrigerator will save you 20% on your electric bill.  You can also take it a step further and buy a super energy efficient fridge that has a CEE tier-3 rating, which will save you 30%.  To find out the estimated savings you'll save by upgrading your fridge go to www.energystar.gov and find the refrigerators page and click on the energy star savings calculator link.  Refrigerators that have a top-mounted freezer save an added 10-25% less than side-by-side or bottom mounted freezers.  Also take into consideration the size of the fridge, don't buy a huge fridge with a bunch of special features if you aren't going to fill it because the bigger the model the more energy it uses.

Some other things to consider when living a green life style is where the refrigerator was manufactured.  Shop around for a brand manufactured in America and support the American worker.  Whirlpool, Maytag, GE are a few brands I know of that are made in America.  I also like to shop at a local discount store rather than a major appliance big-box center, you can usually find better prices and the sales people are more helpful and take the time to answer your questions.  When I think of the "Green Lifestyle" I think of the American dream, supporting America and your local American laborer.  Living a green lifestyle is all about purchasing products locally and supporting your community which is what being an American is truly all about.

I recently bought a refrigerator to cut down costs on my homes energy usage.  Our old fridge is from the 1980's and according to the energy star website the annual cost to run it is $320.27 and uses 1,709 kWh. The first thing I thought of was replacing my current model with one that was manufactured in America.  Once I found out what companies manufactured their refrigerators in America, I began looking at different models online paying attention to the energy star label to see how they differed.  I knew I wanted a top-mounted freezer as I learned they used less energy than other models.  I also payed attention to the features and shelves, I didn't want a lot of fancy features or cheap shelves that could easily break down.  As I did my research I became aware of models that were CEE Tier-3 certified which is the highest rating by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.  Through the Super-Efficient Home Appliances Initiative CEE promotes energy-efficient refrigerators that use significantly less energy than the federal standards.  Once I found the model I wanted I looked online at several different appliance centers until I found the best price.  Of course I went to a local discount appliance store instead of a big brand store, they were very helpful and took the time to answer all our questions.  They did not have the size model I needed but were able to special order it for us, you probably wouldn't get that kind of service at Home Depot.  My new fridge is made by Maytag which manufactures their fridges in America, has sturdy shelves, stainless steel, and energy star tier-3.  The estimated annual cost to run it is $37 and uses only 345 kWh.

So the key things when purchasing a refrigerator are buy energy star, made in America, and from a local appliance center.  Always do your research online first and know your information and prices before heading to the store.  I'm proud to say that I bought a super energy-efficient refrigerator, made in America, and from my local discount appliance center.

Conservation Inspiration

Recently there was a very inspiring article in the newspaper, It is not often you read about the good things that are going on in your city but this was a nice change.  This story was a perfect example of how we should all live our lives and is very eye opening.  As you read the article you soon realize that people take many things for granted and expect others to do whats good for their community.  The most fulfilling part of this story is how a 10 year old girl can do so much good and teach us all the right way to live.


The article is about 10 year old Gia Oppedisano.  Gia had to complete 10 hours of community service for a school projct, she chose to plant pine trees at Sunnycrest Park with the help of her brother and grandmother Amelia Nigro.  They spent April break planting the trees, it was hot and sweaty but Gia pushed on until the job was complete.  Did I mention that she was in the middle of being treated for Leukemia.  Gia has always been passionate about conservation in her community, when she was younger she would always pick up garbage as she walked around the neighborhood.  The Syracuse Parks Conservancy recently awarded Gia with its annual Guardian Award.  Gia was very appreciative for being recognized for her efforts but what Gia would appreciate most is that her story inspires everyone to go out and volunteer their time to clean up the community.


Everyone needs to take some responsibility to clean up trash along our streets.  Sometimes the animals get into our trash on trash night and the wind blows it around, well someone has to pick it up eventually. Get outside and clean up your street, meet your neighbors, help them out and they will help you in return when your in need.  If everyone worked together with one another and supported each other as a community we could change the world.  I hope Gia's story inspires all of you to get out and beautify your community.


http://www.syracuse.com/kirst/index.ssf/2011/12/post_227.html 

Happy New Year

Hello blog buddies, we have made it to 2012!  At the start of every New Year we make resolutions, to better ourselves and live happier and healthier lives.  Some of the more common pledges are to eat wholesome food, lose weight, and volunteer more.  These are all great things to focus on, people should eat nutritiously and live active lives while volunteering and doing what they can for their community.  The problem is people never commit to what they set out to accomplish and they end up setting the same goals each year.  In recent years Global Warming has become a more reverent threat than in years past.  Scientist and Environmentalists have found out through research and studies that Global Warming is a clear threat to our existence on Earth.  Instead of setting the same resolutions that you have in the past, why not promise to be more environmentally friendly?

I'm not implying you have to go out and install solar panels on your house, buy a hybrid, or buy all new energy efficient appliances; there are many things you can do that don't cost anything accept a few small life changes.  Such as recycling, buying local, reusing, reducing the amount you buy, or composting.  When it does come time to replace those bigger items, think about energy efficiency and it will save you money.  Also, when it comes time to renovate think about the materials you use, what they are made of and where they come from.

These changes are not unfathomable, with a little knowledge and effort you can be kinder to your environment and find yourself saving money too.  You may actually succeed with your resolutions.  It is time to wake-up and stop denying the fact that our planet is facing a serious issue and that everyone needs to start doing their part if we want to be successful in slowing down Global Warming.  Even if your not a firm believer in the whole climate change crisis, why not be be Eco-Friendly?  Things such as reusing, reducing, eating healthy, buying less, buying energy star rated electronics, and building green; all these things save you money and help the environment at the same time.  Being Eco-Friendly is not being a Treehugger, it's simply a way of being smart and thrifty.  So my challenge to every one is to start 2012 out right and add a couple Eco-Friendly things you can do to your New Years Resolutions list, even if your a non-believer in Global Warming you'll save some money, every one can relate to that.