Action - Replace an old appliance with an efficient model
13% of members are saving with this action!
Older, inefficient, appliances waste a surprising amount of energy. For example, the average fridge manufactured before 1993 uses 1,000 kWh/year compared to a new model which can use as little as 500 kWh/year.
The table below shows common major household appliances and a comparison of the energy usage between older and newer models. If you want to upgrade some of your appliances consider picking the ones with the most energy savings for a newer model below.
Appliance Energy Comparison
| Appliance | 20+ year-old model kWh/year | New model kWh/year | Cash Savings per year | CO2 Savings per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fridge | 1,000 | 500 | 35 | 350 |
| Freezer | 700 | 375 | 23 | 230 |
| Clothes Washer | 1,200 | 700 | 35 | 350 |
| Clothes Dryer | 1050 | 900 | 11 | 110 |
| Dish Washer | 1,000 | 500 | 35 | 350 |
| Television | 430 | 160 | 19 | 190 |
Known benefits and costs
| Annual CO2 Savings | 100 - 500 kg |
|---|---|
| 220 - 1,100 lbs | |
| Annual Cash Savings | $15 - $50 |
| Initial Cost | $300 - $600 |
| Time to pay for itself | 6.0 - 40.0 years |
| CO2 saved per year per initial dollar invested | 0.17 - 1.67 kg |
* These value ranges were taken from many sources including product documentation, published reports, and the reference material linked here.
Reference Links
The site admins voted these articles very good references
| Energy Consumption of Major Household Appliances |
Recent Related Links
Links that were recently submitted related to this solution
n Making Our Own Weather, Have We Remade Ourselves?
Interesting thoughts on our reliance on air conditioning and it's effects.
The Breathtaking Effects Of Cutting Back On Meat
Great examples of how much impact we could make by cutting down on meat consumption only slightly.
When It Comes To Green, We Are Hypocrites
Eye-opening survey about what people think is important to do for sustainability versus what they are actually doing.
Becoming vegetarian will help save the planet: study
The most meat-loving nations would have healthier citizens and also would reduce carbon emissions, scientists said.
US Uses Less Water Now Than 35 Years Ago
Conservation and efficiency are attainable: a study shows the US uses less water than 35 years ago in spite of a 30% increase in population.
From Trees to T-issues: Raising Awareness on Our Beloved Trees
Collection of interesting stats on our use of trees and paper.
Vegetarianism as a Sometimes Thing
Interesting thoughts on reducing meat consumption to lower footprint
In Depth: Phantom Energy
Real measurements of the energy use of household appliances to track the biggest wasters.
Going Green--One Step at a Time - How To
A good step by step guide on reducing energy use in the house, with measured results.
Leaving PCs on overnight costs companies $2.8B a year
A recent study showed how much energy is wasted, and CO2 emitted, due to unused work computers at night.

