Reply #5: One of the big users of electricity is the refrigerator [View All]

[madokie]

I remember when we purchased the one we have now that replaced a 20 or so year old refrigerator and how it cut our electric bill and this has been 10 or more years ago. I also know that we have a much better insulating material than what is used in the refrigerators of today and its called aerogel. I also know we have more efficient compressors, scroll compressors, than what most refrigerators use today so in that alone we could cut our energy usage by a measurable amount. Throw our air conditioners and heat pumps in the mix and enjoy even more savings. We have tons of sawdust going to waste in this country that could be turned into pellets and burned in pellet stoves for our heat that could replace the resistance heat that many use. Lots of ways we can cut our energy usage on a personal level it we'd as individuals look at the big picture rather than what is good for us right now. I know when we went from a propane heat to a wood pellet stove 18-19 years ago we're something like 5000 dollars to the good even though we've upgraded and gave our kids our old ones and that figure is taking in consideration the price of the three stoves we've bought. What I'm saying is smart decisions would go a long way towards solving our energy problems of today if only we'd make them.

Aerogel: http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=aerogel+insulation&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=6f32b8af52b7e0b8

replace out with our

I'd like to add. This past week I spent a few days cleaning up the yard, a tad over an acre, picking up dropped apples, pairs, sticks, walnuts, tree limbs, cleaned up our garden spots and by using this little electric cart I built pictured here I used less that 1kwh or $.09 a kwh, actually I used .64% of 1 kwh where if I'd used what I used to use, a lawn and garden tractor, for the same job I'd have used several gallons of gasoline at $2.59 a gallon. There is a lot that we as individuals can do that would help if we'd all just do it. Using a wheel barrow is out due to my leg condition.