Why an Energy Efficient Appliance?

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There aren’t many people who would be content with a home that is not equipped with major electrical appliances, entertainment systems and computers. It isn’t wrong to have and enjoy a large-screen TV (unless you watch it the whole day!) or air conditioning. Using the energy to run the equipment is not the issue. The issue is purchasing inefficient models and, worse still, employing polluting and non-renewable resources to run them. Nothing is free; there will come a time (and some claim it is now!) when these non-renewable resources will run out (and break down as in the 2003 blackout?) or when they’ll kill us with their increasing emissions.

However, there is some good news: many governments have started addressing these concerns, and work actively with concerned appliance manufacturers to reduce products’ energy requirements. Good news and more appliance choices for the energy conservationists! With increased efficiency, you can save money and make life a little better for everyone. 

An old refrigerator normally has a lifespan of around 25 years and can still function to keep a six-pack cold down in the basement. It uses about 2,200kWh of energy to keep running. Though rates are vastly different all over North America, let's assume 15 cents/kWh - so that means $330 of electricity a year for the refrigerator. 

A new 2-door unit may consume, for example, 435kWh annually, which comes out to $65.25 of electricity. That’s a saving of $265 and it pays for itself in only 3 or 4 years. In fact, your savings would probably pay for beer for everyone on your whole block - isn’t that a great incentive for switching?