We just read an interesting post over at Treehugger about the prevalence of "beer fridges" (or second fridges) in Canada and how those energy-sucking appliances aren't exactly a great thing for the environment. Actually, those fridges, according to a recent study, use 1,165.7 million kWh annually. Ouch!
It got us thinking: We (obviously) don't have a second fridge -- if we did, we'd probably have to keep it in the bedroom. But a lot of American families do keep an older fridge chugging away in the garage or basement. We grew up with what can only be described as a "Diet Coke fridge."
Why our parents needed 24 Diet Cokes cold and at the ready, 24/7 is beyond us. But, truly, we never thought twice about it growing up. And most of our friends' families were also running second fridges full of frozen dinners and leftovers, as well.
Obviously there are alternatives. Many things (like Diet Coke) can be stored unrefrigerated until needed. And, more frequent shops at local grocers and farmers markets, rather than monthly shops at bulk warehouses like Costco, can help cut down on the amount of food that needs refrigeration at one time.
So, second fridges ... do you have one? Did you grow up with one? Can you think of a good reason any family might need one?
Image: Via revjim5000; flickr.com
People who live in rural areas keep beer fridges because they cannot make the long drive to the market or grocery store as frequently as people who live in town. Some of my in-laws have 2 fridges and a deep-freeze in order to keep food stocked up. It's especially difficult to make the trip to the grocery store this time of year due to weather. Here in Canada it's often not worth the risk to go to the grocery store. They use the second fridge mostly for milk, fruit and yogurt. The freezer is for meat.
view Murple's profile
And if you have to drive a ways to shop, you're doing enviro damage on every shopping trip. So I have no idea how the math comes out, but buying large quantities and keeping them in a fridge or freezer in the garage has enviro benefits too.
view mjoe's profile
My parents live in a rural area of Ohio and they have a second freezer in the basement. However, it isn't an old one. They have a regular fridge upstairs with a bottom freezer and use the basement freezer for longer-term storage. Like Murple and mjoe said, they live pretty far from a grocery and my mom is a big fan of cooking ahead and saving the leftovers. They use the freezer food for lunches or as part of a dinner.
I suppose that I might see the second freezer as excessive if they used it to store junk that they would be better off not eating anyway. At most, I can encourage them to make more vegetarian meals (my sister and I are both vegetarians but my parents are meat-and-potatoes eaters) for their health and the health of the planet.
view Erica in DC's profile
I grew up in a house with 2 fridges and 2 deep freezes.
And yeah...guilty....I have a mini-fridge in my master bedroom closet...for water.
view hdtex's profile
Both our sets of parents have two fridges and freezers. Insane. We've been considering the idea of a small additional freezer, however, to adhere more strictly to a local diet. We're going to work through this season and see if we can pack the freezer we have - so far it's working. We're just being selective about what we freeze because it will soon be unavailable compared to what we can get locally grown and recently produced. Which I think is my big issue with my mom's fridge - full of the nonsense in the photo and Purdue chicken that was on sale.
view Donna-lynn's profile
My grandparents have always had a deep freezer in the garage to hold the vegetables they grew in their garden and extra bread. Depending on how you use the second freezerit could be better than driving to the store all of the time.
view Sparkiy's profile
Growing up we had a family of 7 and my dad got paid once a month. A 2nd fridge/freezer combo came in handy.
These days, my parents have a main fridge, a backup fridge and a freezer. With all the kids, grandkids, extended family members and my parents love for cooking, it comes in handy for cooking meals in bulk and storing leftovers.
view KathinCO's profile
I've gone from a huge refrigerator with water and ice dispenser, side by side, blah blah, left here by the former owners of this house. It works great but I'm trading it for a dorm size fridge. I challenge anyone to look in their fridge and if what you've got in there is mainly beverages and condiments, and if your freezer is full of stuff that's been in there for over three months...ditch your big fridge and get a small one.
view kuroneko's profile
i have a tiny bar fridge that keeps the cat's open wet food. we used to feed her dry food but it was making her vomit and also gain a lot of weight, and wet food has fixed her right up.
my husband and i are vegan, and we just can't take the stench of the cat food in the fridge.
view Very Miao's profile
Growing up, we always had a separate deep freezer in the basement. Every year, my mom froze seasonal vegetables and fruit for the winter (fresh tasting corn in the winter is wonderful, by the way!) Buying for the week, cooking large amounts, and then freezing food has significantly brought our food bill down, and I don't waste the extra gas with more trips to the store. Depending on the circumstances, an extra freezer or fridge could possibly be better for the environment, if it means less driving and eating more local, seasonal produce... and better eating habits!
view chrisB's profile
Deep freezes and second fridges are often used around here to store game. No, not Chutes and Ladders. Deer, elk, moose, and fowl.
view ajonesin's profile
I would prefer to have a small under the counter fridge to the one I have now. I'm only going to be in my present apt for a few more months though.
My parents have a fridge, under counter fridge, and deep freezer. The under counter one isn't really necessary, but they do put sides of beef from my grandparents farm in the freezer.
view midnightskyfibers's profile