How to live without a fridge
I first lived without a fridge as a student in Paris. Because of the abundance of local markets and bakeries, I hardly even noticed its absence. Years later, back in Canada and feeling that life had become too complicated, I thought unplugging my fridge might be a simple way out. Running such a huge machine, larger than a coffin, just for myself and my two-fist-sized stomach suddenly seemed more bizarre than convenient. I have now been living without a fridge for two years.
If you want to live without a fridge, all you have to do is unplug. Your fridge can be immediately converted into a storage unit right where it is. The lower portion can create space for your cupboard by holding canned and dried food, herbs, teas and spices. The upper portion makes a practical cupboard or can be filled with snow or ice and used as a cooler. (Unless you are using your fridge as a cooler, always keep it open a crack to prevent smells from forming.) With the hum of the fridge’s motor finally still, you will be amazed at the peace and quiet you bring to your home.
Most foods can last for a considerable time without a fridge. Cups of herbs or greens in water are a cheerful but constant reminder of the passage of time. Root vegetables, onions, peppers, and zucchini stay true. Eggs last for weeks. Somehow I had equated the existence of my fridge with the natural life of my food, but really, the fridge is a steroid - it can keep food fresh for a very long time, but why not just eat the food in a somewhat shorter time? I’m vegetarian, but dairy and meat are both to be treated with care. Use milk and meat the day you buy it and try to keep it cool. Cheese and dairy lasts overnight in a ziplock bag in cool water. In winter, these will be fine either in your garage or mud room, or in coolers that you fill with snow.
One of the biggest drawbacks of not having a fridge can by summed up by my friend Albert’s question: “But what about ice cream?” (Albert, an ecologist, had decided to accompany me on this journey in his own way.) Indeed, what about ice cream or a cold beer? Albert’s solution was to use his non-heated mud room in winter and a very small fridge for the summer. This can also be a great option - either reducing the size of your fridge, or choosing to unplug during certain seasons.
The summer months can be a sweet time to go fridge-free. Local produce is so fresh and plentiful that it will last longer than food shipped from abroad. Eating locally in the age of peak oil is best for farmer, earth, and consumer alike. To keep a year-round supply of local produce, fresh berries, corn and small cucumbers can all be canned for a great winter of local food with no freezing needed.
Of course, in the winter, you can keep anything cool for as long as you want due to our abundant resource of cold air, snow, and ice. Wool blankets can also be used as a cooler. I stored some ginger carrot soup for three days indoors by putting a small pot into a larger soup pot filled with fresh snow and protecting it with a wool blanket. Using ingenuity rather than energy adds a kind of adventure to everyday life that we seldom get to experience anymore. And it gives a more realistic picture of nature - a picture of abundant yet finite and delicate gifts, rather than an infinite source of power for all of our desires.
In the past, leftovers were like guests that had worn out their welcome. Post-fridge, I simply took fresh leftovers to share with my neighbor Bradley and I became a guest myself. I liked sharing new food discoveries, such as organic local apples I brought. Bradley realized that organic apples tasted better than what he normally bought. When I had a bad cold, Bradley heard me coughing through the walls, called and offered to buy some oranges for me. In a compartmentalized condo setting, we forged a true bond.
In giving up my fridge, I have gained a greater sense of connection to the ingenuity of my ancestors. I have a peaceful-sounding home, a new friend next door, a low electricity bill - and a deeper sense of harmony with the changing seasons.
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Very thought provoking - I don't know that I would ever give up my fridge but I like the idea of being less reliant on it. I have an unheated sunroom that I use for keeping wine cold - would like to use it more but there is always the problem of things freezing - any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw Andrea's fridge open I thought it was a mistake. "Shall I close the doors?" I asked. But no, it turns out that she doesn't use this appliance. Amazing! And quite admirable. Andrea is like an astronaut exploring a new world. Gosh, we are all consuming so much and making such a mess out of our atmosphere and our oceans--really the unexplored frontier is how to live in some semblance of harmony with the natural Earth and yet continue on in our cities, with our lives. It is quite the project!
ReplyDeleteUsing an unheated sunroom is a great challenge! It's true - if the sunroom is too cold, things could just freeze entirely which is only good for certain things. There are a couple of ways to approach this.
ReplyDeleteTry insulating your sunroom somewhat with curtains, or a carpet, or some plastic window wrap in the winter. This can be found in hardware stores. It's possible that you could find a way to give yourself a great cool room by attempting a few insulation tricks in the winter that could keep the room above zero.
Another opposite and somewhat less labour intensive approach could be to generate ice in this room, then when you wish to chill something you will have this ice handy rather than needing to use your freezer. For instance, you could leave wine coolers or containers in the sunroom all the time, and then just pull them out and put the wine in them rather than put the wine in the sunroom. Use the sunroom to generate ice on those colder days. Otherwise, use it as a wine cooling room.