A recently published study from a researcher at the University of Alberta urges Canadians to upgrade or toss their old, vintage beer fridges in order to help combat global warming. Beer fridges are in 1 in 3 Canadian homes.
Denise Young a researcher at the University of Alberta urges Canadians to get rid of their beer fridges and go green. According to a CBC
report, Young says that 1 in 3 Canadian households have a beer fridge.
"A reduction in the use of 'beer fridges' or a movement towards the use of newer and smaller energy-efficient models in Canada would lead to lower levels of energy use in the residential sector and, in some regions, lower emissions of greenhouse gases," says researcher Denise Young in the November issue of the journal
Energy Policy. The study was commissioned by Natural Resources Canada.
The beer fridge is rarely a state of the art affair but most likely is an older unit that has the sole purpose of keeping beer and other beverages cold.
Young’s study says that the beer fridge can cost as much as $150.00 a year to operate and that the older appliance will also place significant demands on energy resources.
The Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association states that a 1985 vintage fridge will use approximately 1060 kilowatt-hours of energy each year. The new Energy Star refrigerators use 380 to 440 kWh annually for large models and 275-300 kWh for smaller units.
Young’s study suggests that if enough Canadian tossed out their beer fridges an energy savings of 1,165.7 million kWh annually could be achieved. If a beer fridge is needed get a newer model.
Regions that rely on hydroelectric and nuclear electricity generation would notice an insignificant effect on greenhouse gas emissions.
