Saving Energy and Keeping Your Fridge Cool

I'm a big fan of my appliances. They make my life easier, and do things for me that I'm physically incapable of doing, such as making my food hot or cold. Granted, I could always do things like wash my clothes on my own, but who needs that when I can tell a machine to do it. They're not going to revolt any time soon, are they? Wait, isn't this how Terminator: Salvation starts?

Anyway, as much as our appliances make life easier for us, they also cost us money in terms of electricity and energy consumption. However, there are always things we can do to cut back and save. Just a few weeks ago, in fact, the New York Times did a piece about saving money through smart use of the freezer. Well, after doing a write-up about that, it was only a matter of time before they looked at ways that we can conserve energy with our refrigerators, as well.

Apparently, the amount of things that need cooling doesn't affect how your refrigerator runs. However, items that give off moisture do make the refrigerator work harder, in order to evaporate it. Likewise, putting in dishes that have already cooled off substantially will go a long way towards saving some money on your next bill. The less your fridge has to do, the better.

To read these and more tips about energy conservation with the refrigerator, be sure to visit the New York Times.