Green Tip of the Day

Greening your refrigerator:

Position your refrigerator away from heat source such as an oven, dishwasher or direct sunlight from window.

Allow air to circulate around condenser coils by leaving space between wall cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer.

Make sure your door seals and coils are airtight and clean.

Test your door seal by closing it on a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar bill out without resistance replace the gasket.

On new refrigerators with magnetic seals, put a flashlight inside the fridge, turn off the room lights and check the amount of light leaking through the seal.

Minimize the amount of time the door is open.

Keep your refrigerator between 30 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees to maximize energy efficiency without spoilage.

Cover liquids and wrap food. Uncovered food releases moisture (and gets dried out) which makes the compressor work harder.

Unplug the extra refrigerator or freezer if not in use. The extra electricity it uses - typically $310 per year - is far more than the six pack or two you have got stashed there. Remember to take the door off or disable the latch so kids can't get stuck inside.

Keep your fridge full. An empty fridge cycles more frequently using more electricity to run it. Although beer makes a good mass it tends to disappear quickly so try filling an old milk jug with extra water to take up space.