Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: reduce/re-use/re-cycle/ green-grey

[HeidiNYS (HeidiNYS]

> Dear Duncan,
> you've framed a very important question, one too often missed, so thanks.
I'm looking forward to seeing responses to this one too!    I will mention 
that when we did our research for appliances for CommonHouse, we were advised 
to 
get a new/newish fridge.   Technology has changed so that the older ones used 
a coolant that's no longer acceptable [and this was seven years ago, so by 
now may be a generation of used 'new' ones.]    Also, Consumer Reports may be 
helpfulin which of the ones you find used are actually most energy/water 
efficient.
Tangentially,   one of the huge environmental benefits of co-housing is 
clustering the homes.   Here, we've got one parking area for example, rather 
than 
blacktopping 18 driveways.   Similar benefits to not having individual septics &
 wells.... all take their toll.    The preservation of earth in clustering 
can get overlooked , and it's a big benefit!   Best,
Ruth Hirsch,   Cantines Island CoHo, Saugerties,NY

> 
> Duncan Cavens wrote:
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > This is a very relevant question to my partner and I right now: our home
> > in Roberts Creek Cohousing (near Vancouver, B.C.) will be finished at
> > the end of the month.
> > We've been trying to figure out the environmental benefits/costs about
> > buying new energy efficient appliances vs. buying slightly used
> > appliances.  I've done a lot of searching, but have not been able to
> > find any information other than factsheetsfrom Federal Energy
> > authorities that seem to only promote the appliance manufacturers (i.e.
> > "current appliances are twice as efficient as appliances from 10 years
> > ago".)
> >
> > While this information is useful, I'd like to know what the impacts are
> > of manufacturing a new stove, shipping it halfway across the country,
> > and what the impacts are of disposing/recycling of the old appliance
> > that we wouldn't be buying on the second-hand market (we don't currently
> > own any appliances.)    My gut feeling is that the net impact of making
> > a new appliance (fridge/stove/etc.) far outweigh the environmental
> > benefits of a new appliance, but I have no way of figuring this out. 
> > Money isn't really the issue (although slightly used models run for
> > about 1/4 to  1/8 the cost of new.)
> >
> > Does anyone have any insight / resources/ etc. on this topic?
> 
>