NationStates Jolt Archive

Study: Canadian Beer Drinkers Threaten Planet

Scientists have found a new threat to the planet: Canadian beer drinkers.

The government-commissioned study says the old, inefficient "beer fridges" that one in three Canadian households use to store their Molson and Labatt's contribute significantly to global warming by guzzling gas- and coal-fired electricity.

"People need to understand the impact of their lifestyles," British environmental consultant Joanna Yarrow tells New Scientist magazine. "Clearly the environmental implications of having a frivolous luxury like a beer fridge are not hitting home. This research helps inform people — let's hope it has an effect."

The problem is that the beer fridges are mostly decades-old machines that began their second careers as beverage dispensers when Canadians upgraded to more energy-efficient models to store whatever Canadians eat besides doughnuts and poutine.

University of Alberta researcher Denise Young, who led the study, suggests that provincial authorities hold beer-fridge buy-backs or round-ups to eliminate the threat — methods that Americans use to get guns off the streets.

Link (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,313844,00.html)

Am I the only one who's thinking they're just jerking us around at this point? I mean comon. I would like to see the study and see how they arrived at this conclusion.

Another proof that Global Warming is a Muti-Million dollar business for Scientist.

Why is a beer fridge so much more inefficient than a regular fridge, and what the hell do you Canadians add to your beer that needs extra refrigeration?

"People need to understand the impact of their lifestyles," British environmental consultant Joanna Yarrow tells New Scientist magazine. "Clearly the environmental implications of having a frivolous luxury like a beer fridge are not hitting home. This research helps inform people — let's hope it has an effect."
Contrary to appearances, this is not an attempt by the British establishment to spread the British practice of drinking warm (room-temperature) beer through environmental pressure groups. You would be totally wrong to think that.

Why is a beer fridge so much more inefficient than a regular fridge,
Beer fridges are old fridges. They don't make many of those these days. Any old fridge, including beer fridges that are still working (they don't make them like that nowadays, let me tell ya!) are full of CFCs and othe nasty stuff that goes out of the rusty and/or leaking refrigeration system.

and what the hell do you Canadians add to your beer that needs extra refrigeration?
We like our beer cold. And not "cellar" cold like in England, but cold enough to get stuck to the hand like a tongue sticks to a metal pole in january.

Am I the only one who's thinking they're just jerking us around at this point? I mean comon. I would like to see the study and see how they arrived at this conclusion.

which part isn't obvious: that older fridges are inefficient energy wasters, especially secondary ancient fridges, that lots of people have them, or that using less electricity is good for the environment?

Why is a beer fridge so much more inefficient than a regular fridge

primarily because we've made amazing advances in insulation and energy efficiency since the 70s. to quote the real article rather than fox's bullshit,

The Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association estimates that typical 1985 refrigerator models use 1060 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per year, while a 1975 model uses 1580 kWh per year. In contrast, more recent and energy-efficient models can use as little as 380 kWh per year.

The survey shows that in 2003 about 65% of beer fridges were more than 10 years old. About 30% were at least twice that age.

Using the survey's information on the distribution of beer fridges and the data on energy consumption, Young calculated that the 65% of beer fridges that are 10 years or older consume 1165.7 million kWh of energy each year – roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 100,000 average US suburban homes.

By abandoning beer fridges altogether, Canada's 11.5 million households could save 3500 million kWh each year, says Young.

I always knew that strong spirits where the way of the future...

Beer fridges are old fridges. They don't make many of those these days. Any old fridge, including beer fridges that are still working (they don't make them like that nowadays, let me tell ya!) are full of CFCs and othe nasty stuff that goes out of the rusty and/or leaking refrigeration system.


We like our beer cold. And not "cellar" cold like in England, but cold enough to get stuck to the hand like a tongue sticks to a metal pole in january.

Ah thank you. :)

I have to agree, after setting a Yeungling in the freezer for a few minutes it is magnificent. Unfortunately, mistime the extraction and you've lost a beer. :(

Okaaay then. :rolleyes: :p:D

Talk about shooting your nose off to spite your face...

IF a person throws away their extra liquid (beer and soda) holding fridge, I'm going to have to assume that they won't have room for the beers in their one remaining fridge. IF they have to buy smaller amounts of beer because they don't have enough room for it in their fridges anymore, then they will have to buy beer more frequently. IF they have to buy beer more frequently, how much vehicle gas is that going to take?

In the end, why doesn't the government just make electricity more efficiently, easier and quicker method of going green, instead of telling everyone to go the store more often and burning more fossil fuels?

This is supposed to be a news article? The snide remark on Canadian cuisine speaks volumes about it's reliability.

We like our beer cold. And not "cellar" cold like in England, but cold enough to get stuck to the hand like a tongue sticks to a metal pole in january.
I'm pretty sure any fridge will do that for you...

We like our beer cold. And not "cellar" cold like in England, but cold enough to get stuck to the hand like a tongue sticks to a metal pole in january.Goddammit. Now I'm craving some beer, and I can't bring it to my dorm room.

I hope you're proud of yourself, East Canuck.

Yeah... those old fashion coal powered refridgerators... Do you know that they start more house fires in Canada that idelling cigarettes, spontanious living room camp fires and budding adolecant arsonists combined?

Why not just keep beer in the regular fridge? That's what we do.

Why not just keep beer in the regular fridge? That's what we do.

Because it's a well known fact that the avergae Canadian male can and will consume up to twice his body weight in beer a night and up to five times his weight if a hockey game is on. You just can't keep that much beer in one ordinary fridge. We -need- our giant, coal powered ancient fridges to hold all that excess beer.

Because it's a well known fact that the avergae Canadian male can and will consume up to twice his body weight in beer a night and up to five times his weight if a hockey game is on. You just can't keep that much beer in one ordinary fridge. We -need- our giant, coal powered ancient fridges to hold all that excess beer.

That's retarded. I knew there had to be something bad about Canada.

IF a person throws away their extra liquid (beer and soda) holding fridge, I'm going to have to assume that they won't have room for the beers in their one remaining fridge. IF they have to buy smaller amounts of beer because they don't have enough room for it in their fridges anymore, then they will have to buy beer more frequently. IF they have to buy beer more frequently, how much vehicle gas is that going to take?

Simply, really. The gas & beer companies are behind this. They want to to drink and drive more.


In the end, why doesn't the government just make electricity more efficiently, easier and quicker method of going green, instead of telling everyone to go the store more often and burning more fossil fuels?

B/c. making green energy is more expensive than telling everyone that they're wasting energy, and they should quit it.

Denise Young better watch herself. Environmentalism can get you killed in Alberta.

Rolling squid;13254574']Simply, really. The gas & beer companies are behind this. They want to to drink and drive more.



B/c. making green energy is more expensive than telling everyone that they're wasting energy, and they should quit it.

Ah, good points on both of them, :p you win.

I'm pretty sure any fridge will do that for you...Sure, but those fridges are bound to have no beer food items such as poutine, doughnuts, Kraft Dinner, and mayonnaise (for our french fries).

A beer fridge is simply for storing beer. Other alcohols are acceptable too.

Only two?!!!

Step up to the big times. Every American has minimum 3 refrigerators in their home and a nice big stand alone freezer.


Well that is my house at least. :D

which part isn't obvious: that older fridges are inefficient energy wasters, especially secondary ancient fridges, that lots of people have them, or that using less electricity is good for the environment?

But..but...its making us aware that little things we do can have an effect on the environment around us!!!Surely its obvious that its a big scientist conspiracy to prevent us from wasting electricity in order to line their pockets by...uh..by...by..while I havent quite got that far, but surely its OBVIOUS!!

That's retarded. I knew there had to be something bad about Canada.


It's only bad if you're the person who has to clean up in the morning X3

Denise Young better watch herself. Environmentalism can get you killed in Alberta.

True dat. But this crap about Canadians having too many fridges is bullshit. I personally only have one fridge and one deep freezer. The fridge is split evenly between beer, milk and cheese. The little freezer on top is full of my liqour. The rest of my beer goes outside, in the snow.... until I can afford another shitty fridge.

I've long held that if there's ever an issue to "overreact" about, it's global warming- I mean, who could object to having air to breathe?

However, "overreact" is the operative word- this is just ridiculous. If someone has a beer fridge, they must drink a lot of beer- ask them to remove said fridge and suddenly they've got a problem. Not only that, but these "ancient fridges" are inexpensive (http://toronto.craigslist.ca/search/sss?query=refridgerator), at least in relation to their "brand-new" brethren (http://www.sears.ca/gp/search/ref=sr/102-3356110-1844128?field-keywords=refridgerator&url=node%3DAPS&index=marketplace&page=1&sn=1&size=12&searsBrand=core&Go.x=0&Go.y=0). Yup, good luck convincing me to spend $2,500-$1,500 more on an "energy efficient" fridge when I can get one for $300-$500.

But..but...its making us aware that little things we do can have an effect on the environment around us!!!Surely its obvious that its a big scientist conspiracy to prevent us from wasting electricity in order to line their pockets by...uh..by...by..while I havent quite got that far, but surely its OBVIOUS!!

yes, its all so clear now

If you follow the link in the Fox.. "News" article to the New Scientist report, you'll actually get some useful information. Most telling is this:

She calculates that a 1975 fridge in British Columbia – where most electricity comes from hydropower – is responsible for a negligible increase in emissions. But the same fridge in Alberta, where electricity is primarily generated from natural gas and coal, would be responsible for 1.4 tons of greenhouse gases every year.

Seems we could nip this whole fridge problem in the bud by switching from natural gas and coal over to greener power sources.

But, of course, that wouldn't be nearly as trivial or ineffective a use of money as buying back peoples' old fridges.

It should also be noted that I, as a Canadian, know a variety of people from many income brackets in my city, and not one of them has a beer fridge. Maybe it's a west coast thing..

Why is a beer fridge so much more inefficient than a regular fridge, and what the hell do you Canadians add to your beer that needs extra refrigeration?

Duh...your beer fridge is the fridge you don't quite want to throw away when you finally get a new one. And you need a beer fridge because you just can't fit enough Kokanee and Molson into your regular fridge. Fugging lightweight yank beer drinkers...no wonder you don't understand.

This is supposed to be a news article? The snide remark on Canadian cuisine speaks volumes about it's reliability.

Yeah...well here's a Canadian link:

CBC (http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/11/30/beer-fridge.html)

And Denise Young is in fact a professor of Economics at my University, the study is real.

Why not just keep beer in the regular fridge? That's what we do.

You underestimate our thirst.

We also tend to hoard. Just in case we get snowed in. I'm only half joking.

That's retarded. I knew there had to be something bad about Canada.

I'll have you know that per capita, Canadians are some of the most wasteful, environmentally damaging people on the planet, thank you very much!

Denise Young better watch herself. Environmentalism can get you killed in Alberta.

So can pissing off beer drinkers. Or publicly stating that the Oilers suck. Some truths should never be spoken aloud.

I'll have you know that per capita, Canadians are some of the most wasteful, environmentally damaging people on the planet, thank you very much!

Again, I'm pretty sure this is a western Canada thing..

Yeah...well here's a Canadian link:

CBC (http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/11/30/beer-fridge.html)

And Denise Young is in fact a professor of Economics at my University, the study is real.

Why is your professor of Economics doing a study on greenhouse gas emissions?

Are you sure she isn't teaching her class how to sell refrigerators?

So can pissing off beer drinkers. Or publicly stating that the Oilers suck. Some truths should never be spoken aloud.

Well, their record already does that...:p

Again, I'm pretty sure this is a western Canada thing..

Maybe more "rural"- I live in a small town in Ontario and we have beer fridges (well, *I* don't but I have friends who do).

Again, I'm pretty sure this is a western Canada thing..

Wait, you're a freaking Maritimer? You don't get to diss us until you learn how to speak English intelligibly :P

Wait, you're a freaking Maritimer? You don't get to diss us until you learn how to speak English intelligibly :P

And you don't get to diss us until you stop killing the planet and using your oil money to justify province-wide hissy fits.

>_>

Now what about all the water that's wasted when all that alcohol has to be ejected from the imbiber's body? How many times will the average beer-swiller flush the toilet? Maybe there's more at stake here...

And you don't get to diss us until you stop killing the planet and using your oil money to justify province-wide hissy fits.

>_>
Damn.

We're never going to be able to diss one another then!


PS
*we got oil bitches...whaddayougot huh?*

Damn.

We're never going to be able to diss one another then!


PS
*we got oil bitches...whaddayougot huh?*

I'se appose ye ain't too daffy in that there whatwithall ya sayin'.

I'se appose ye ain't too daffy in that there whatwithall ya sayin'.

Oh yeah well, we has a dawn of swish every time we sees a growler when were on the banker. No dead mans portion eader bye.

So can pissing off beer drinkers. Or publicly stating that the Oilers suck. Some truths should never be spoken aloud.Well, that last one only applies to the people closer to Edmonton. BTW, Calgary Flames.

Beer fridges are old fridges. They don't make many of those these days. Any old fridge, including beer fridges that are still working (they don't make them like that nowadays, let me tell ya!) are full of CFCs and othe nasty stuff that goes out of the rusty and/or leaking refrigeration system.

Our beer fridge is under a year old. It's manual says it will use about $26 of electricity per year. The one in our kitchen was purchased before my now 13 year old brother was an embryo. It's also a piece of crap, the temperature control snapped off because I tried to change it after the thing froze in place. Lately it has taken to leaking water on the floor.

Back on topic, less electricity means more beer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7H1788xAUE

yes, its all so clear now

If you can't see the truth, you must be blind
..but in all seriousness, I really don't get the claims that global warming is a goverment conspiracy. As far as I recall the U.S and U.K goverments have only grudgingly accepted that there is a liklihood that climate change is a.)happening b.) most likely cause by us and c.) going to have a large effect and I don't exactly see how us beliveing in global warming is going to give them any profit?

Again, I'm pretty sure this is a western Canada thing..


Hey man! Every time people from Ontario visit the west coast, they compliment us on not having air they can -taste-!

Ooh Ooh, a Canadian sissy-fight (over beer no less). How cute.:D

Another proof that Global Warming is a Muti-Million dollar business for Scientist.

Scientists who participate in the IPCC receive absolutely no compensation for it, other than whatever they are already earning.

Well, that last one only applies to the people closer to Edmonton. BTW, Calgary Flames.

...blow...

...blow...

Nicely done.

Again, I'm pretty sure this is a western Canada thing..


Ha! Don't fool yourself. We Maritimers are among the worst offenders. e.g. NOva Scotia Power is the 5th worst polluter in the country, just behind Ontario Power Generation (Which services a province 10 times as big) and ahead of many of the oil patch companies.

Ha! Don't fool yourself. We Maritimers are among the worst offenders. e.g. NOva Scotia Power is the 5th worst polluter in the country, just behind Ontario Power Generation (Which services a province 10 times as big) and ahead of many of the oil patch companies.

I think he just meant the beer fridge thing.

Far as I know, Newfies just drink Screech anyway...don't need a beer fridge for that :D

The only frivolous luxury I see here is the environmental consultant; I thought I heard already all of the variants of consultant, the supreme bullshit job, but I was wrong. I wonder how many tons of CO2 we could save if companies laid off their consultants and moved their responsibilities in-house?

Mind you, I would not be surprised if this "environmental consultant" considered her own "unnecessary luxuries" to be necessities.

Why is a beer fridge so much more inefficient than a regular fridge, and what the hell do you Canadians add to your beer that needs extra refrigeration?

I think they explained that part, as they are on average a much older model that got graduated out of kitchen use

Okaaay then. :rolleyes: :p:D

Talk about shooting your nose off to spite your face...

IF a person throws away their extra liquid (beer and soda) holding fridge, I'm going to have to assume that they won't have room for the beers in their one remaining fridge. IF they have to buy smaller amounts of beer because they don't have enough room for it in their fridges anymore, then they will have to buy beer more frequently. IF they have to buy beer more frequently, how much vehicle gas is that going to take?

In the end, why doesn't the government just make electricity more efficiently, easier and quicker method of going green, instead of telling everyone to go the store more often and burning more fossil fuels?

Um they could buy the same amount of beer and store it in a cellar or something bringing smaller amounts up to be cooled down in their regular fridge.

Or they could spend a bit of money and get a more recent fridge as a beer fridge and continue the current habits

If you can't see the truth, you must be blind
..but in all seriousness, I really don't get the claims that global warming is a government conspiracy. As far as I recall the U.S and U.K governments have only grudgingly accepted that there is a likelihood that climate change is a.)happening b.) most likely cause by us and c.) going to have a large effect and I don't exactly see how us believing in global warming is going to give them any profit?

*sarcastically puts on "Do I have to explain everything?" voice*
No. It isn't a government conspiracy. It's a scientist conspiracy. You know those scientists, always cooking up conspiracies. Just look at that whole "evolution" thing. Does anybody actually believe that?
;)

I have two full-size fridges. And yes, the fridge section of one is used mainly (though not exclusively) for our potent potables.


As to the idea of putting it in a cellar, we do that with wines, since we don't drink that much. But with beer, that would require far too much walking up and down stairs, and you'd still need a fridge to put it in. And when all of your family of five people, four of whom drink, is home, it gets tedious.

Um they could buy the same amount of beer and store it in a cellar or something bringing smaller amounts up to be cooled down in their regular fridge.

but what about when you need to drink an entire fridge full of beer in one sitting, and don't want to save money by getting a keg?

And when all of your family of five people, four of whom drink, is home, it gets tedious.

It's so cute when Jr gets drunk :P

I do not have to worry at least because my uses the wonderful power of a nuclear reactor, though I do not know where the other 99.999998% of my power goes though, though I do think it is hooked up to that death ray this is starting to heat up right behind. I also do not where that hose, which tends to glow constantly, heads to.

I do not have to worry at least because my uses the wonderful power of a nuclear reactor, though I do not know where the other 99.999998% of my power goes though, though I do think it is hooked up to that death ray this is starting to heat up right behind. I also do not where that hose, which tends to glow constantly, heads to.

It's science. Enough said.

Ha! Don't fool yourself. We Maritimers are among the worst offenders. e.g. NOva Scotia Power is the 5th worst polluter in the country, just behind Ontario Power Generation (Which services a province 10 times as big) and ahead of many of the oil patch companies.

..Sssh. >_>

I'm in New Brunswick anyway. Come see our scenic Point Lepreau Nuclear Plant, which scares the hell out of me.