a peek inside the fishbowl

25 Oct, 2007

Refrigerator Roundup

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Yaktivism

I’m sitting here waiting for our refrigerator to be picked up. It will be anytime between 9:00 and 1:00 p.m. Gack.

This fridge we’re getting rid of is probably over 20 years old. In fact, it’s the kind that has one big door and a little freezer up top. The freezer was really an ice cave – the walls were always coated with frost … great for dramatic effect (“Look kids! My hand is going into the ice cave!”), but not so great for actually keeping stuff frozen.

When we first moved into our house (this was 10 years ago) my in-laws bought us a new fridge. The old one got moved downstairs. Since that time it’s been mostly used as a beer fridge. I also moved extra condiments down there too – seldom-used sauces like “Memories of Wichita” etc. – and from time to time I used it to store prepared food for holiday dinners or when we were having company.

Months ago we unplugged it. The thing was in need of a serious defrosting. And then we never bothered plugged it back in. We estimated it was costing us $150/year to run, possibly more. It just wasn’t worth it.

Now, if we want cold beer we just take a few bottles out of the twofer’ and put in the upstairs fridge. Memories of Wichita went into the garbage. And when company comes (which is a rare occasion) I just shuffle food around and find space. Sure, extracting things can be a pain in the butt, but is it really worth $150/year? No.

Our old fridge is going to be claimed by the Great Refrigerator Roundup.

As long as the fridge is in working order they’ll take it away – for FREE – and recycle it. Apparently by the time they’re done with it, the only part going into the landfill is small enough to fit inside a hat.

Pretty cool huh?

Next post: one where I pretend to be a professional model.


2 Responses to "Refrigerator Roundup"

1 | BeachMama

October 25th, 2007 at 3:57 pm

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We talk of getting another fridge or at least a chest freezer, but then we realize that we will be paying the hydro for it so it never happens. Our current fridge is on its last legs so I hope to get one a tad bigger next time. For now we still use the basement and garage for extra drinks and food.

2 | Chantal

November 12th, 2007 at 10:28 am

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Thanks for the reminder regarding the roundup. I just booked our pickup. I knew the fridge in our basement was old, harvest gold variety with a crumbling seal. But a few weeks ago I met the first owner (we are in a town house). he bought our place new 15 years ago and asked me if the old fridge was still going strong. He said it was old when he put it down there! ACK, it must be ancient. I figure any money I am saving buying my milk and cream from Costco is going down the drain by using that fridge to keep them cold, so off to fridge heaven for it! Hopefully we will see a difference in our hydro bills.

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