For many of us, the idea of wasting anything is just plain evil. The popular theme of “green” is fine, but it’s old hat to us.

We’ve known carpenters who saved odd pieces of lumber, old windows and molding. We knew an aunt who used to dry out and reuse paper towels that had been used to wipe clean water. We grew up with hand-me-downs, and recycling was not new to us. In the old days, we saved paper to start fires in the kitchen stove; we saved worn-out clothes for quilts; we mixed potato peelings with mash and fed it to the pigs.

Back then, what we couldn’t reuse went to the little family “dump” up in the woods. Today, of course, things are much different. We still sort things out, but they go into special trash bags and bins.

Surely you remember when any handyman (or a dad) worth his salt could fix things like stoves, washing machines and other inventions that made our lives easier. Today, you’re lucky to be able to hire someone to fix the dryer door, the refrigerator and the television. Some appliances are a lot less expensive these days, and I’m pretty sure the life expectancy is built in to be shorter than ever.

We may not have any control over the price of gasoline or oil, no matter how energy efficient we make our car or furnace, but there really are small things one can do to save energy – and it doesn’t cost anything!

My old refrigerator should be replaced. It does a stand-up job, but I’m well aware of its age and know a new one would be much more efficient. Income in the elder years makes buying a refrigerator tantamount to going on a cruise. The most common question asked by seniors on a fixed income is: Do I really need it?

Here are a few ideas gleaned from about five various websites, including CMP, about saving energy and making your refrigerator – no matter how old – run better, i.e., use less electricity. Some of these are just common sense, but it’s always good to be reminded.

Focus on what you’re getting out of the refrigerator and don’t stand surveying the shelves. Keep items in a familiar place – eggs at the bottom, milk on the top. Cover dishes of leftovers to prevent the moisture from evaporating, making the appliance use more energy. Label and date items that are freezer-bound to save time finding things. Let hot food cool off (about half an hour limit) before putting it away.

A full freezer works more efficiently. If you’ve got empty spaces, put containers of water in there to freeze. Remember water expands so leave a little space. I use old milk jugs filled with water in my freezer. Use lots of ice cube trays.

Get a small thermometer, made just for refrigerators. Refrigerator temperature should be between 36-40. If it’s too cold or hot, adjust the controls. Freezers should be between 0 and 5 degrees – otherwise, adjust.

We all know to clean the dust off the top and back of the refrigerator – but also keep them away from the stove, dishwasher and direct sunlight. Your fridge may have a heater built into its walls to prevent condensation on the outside. It may also have an energy-saver or power-saver switch to turn the heater off. By all means turn the heater off. Leave it off if you don’t get noticeable condensation. Give the back of the refrigerator 4-6 inches of space.

Make sure the door closes tightly, and if it doesn’t, you might need to call one of those elusive handymen to replace the seal.

Now if we can train the youngsters (and some oldsters) to not consider inventorying the contents – and if we try all the above energy-saving tricks – maybe we can save a mite on the electric bill.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.

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