Comments on: “Cash for Refrigerators” Debuts in Fall. Really.

By: Paul Taglini

Paul Taglini — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:16:31 +0000

I live in New Hampshire. For a limited time, customers of NH retailers who purchase an energy-efficient ENERGYSTAR®-rated clothes washing machine can receive a $50 rebate … (or) who purchase an energy-efficient ENERGYSTAR®-rated room air conditioner between March 1 and August 31 can receive a $20 rebate by filling out a mail-in rebate form. Refrigerators and stoves – no deal. So in whose pocket is all this supposed stimulus money going?

By: Charles

Charles — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:35:36 +0000

Many utilities have policies like the one at ComEd for appliace recycling. http://www.comed.com/homesavings/programsincentiv…

For a limited time, through ComEd’s Smart Ideas for Your Home program, ComEd will pay you $25 for your old, working fridge or freezer, pick it up for FREE and recycle it in an environmentally responsible way. We'll also pick up and recycle your old working room air conditioners when we come to get your refrigerator or freezer.

By: frank

frank — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:28:29 +0000

Why not just give the money to those that would buy use the rebate and tax those that would not same as cars did .

By: wendy

wendy — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:55:10 +0000

My question is that I am supposed to be delivered a refrigerator this Saturday. I am newly single and could probably spend money on a new seal but the frig I have now is old and pretty bad. If there is something that could or would help me pay for this I would love to know a little more info. I would get a seal if not to expensive to hold on awhile. I have to ask the landlord if rent can be late. For me this is a major purchase and I'm already scared and upset but I don't want food to go to waste one day if I'm at work. I've just heard today of this from the gov. What to do? Try to get by and save a little money or just purchase now? Please help my decision?

By: Joe Walsh

Joe Walsh — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:39:34 +0000

Thanks for reading and for posting the comments! Always glad to get some conversation going.

W. Worth: I agree that a lot of urban consumers do not have space for an extra fridge, but the fact is that a large percentage of those same consumers are renters who do not own or upgrade the fridge or other major appliances in their units — that duty falls to the landlord. Landlords would not be eligible for this program on any mass scale.

Grapecranberry:

Absolutely correct, I have no empirical evidence to show that the program will be used for back-up fridges, just my hunch based on some time in the utility industry analyzing the use of these rebate programs as they currently exist.

As for Lowe's hauling away the old appliance — indeed they do offer that service in many locales, but it doesn't come with any guarantees as to how the appliance will be disposed of. If the program is designed to get these old appliances off the grid (or similarly old appliances that clunkers could be picked over to supply junk parts), then the program is not a success even if Lowe's hauls the appliance away and either disposes of it in a less-environmentally friendly way or sells it for parts.

By: bart

bart — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:57:25 +0000

If anyone really believes that this program – or Cash For Clunkers – has anything at all to do with environmentalism, they are living in a dream world.

This program has a single intended goal: to get US consumer to stop spending and stop saving. There's no end to the Federal government's shortsightedness.

By: grapecranberry

grapecranberry — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:16:47 +0000

This article turns stupid toward the end.

"Odds are that many of the middle class households claiming the rebate will use the new appliance in the kitchen, and move the old one to the basement, the garage, or the back porch, where it will be pressed into service storing extra beer and the overflow from Costco. The old fridge remains on the grid and we add in the new appliance too."

You don't know that for sure and have no way to prove it.

"Granted, it would be very difficult to have consumers truck their old fridge in to dispose of it and claim eligibility for the program, …"

I think most of the big-box stores that sell large appliances will haul away the old one for free or cheap. It happened when I bought my stove from Lowes. It's also one reason the previous sentence doesn't make sense.

But I agree that along with this plan should come an education and recycling effort that Cash for Clunkers lacked.

By: W. Worth

W. Worth — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:35:32 +0000

The writers think that most of us have enough room to have two refrigerators. Most city dwellers (and most people live in cities) scarcely have room for one refrigerator much less two. I would wager that most people will gladly give up their old clunker.