Fridge dirty? No prob, say reps. Get a new one!

Clean Skies, an energy and environment network, has online video reports that are often interesting. This morning's had a little tidbit that blew my mind.

Reporter Dee Bhambhani was looking into how the nation's Capitol building is greening up its act. Workers are installing meters to determine energy use. They're subbing out incandescent light bulbs with CFLs. They're composting cafeteria waste.

They've also — get this — figured out a way to stop throwing out refrigerators when they are merely dirty.

Here's how the news unfolded: Allison Rogers, program manager for the green-the-capitol initiative, was talking about immediate gains. She happily noted: "One of the staff had said, 'you know, we send out refrigerators on a regular basis when members of Congress and their staffs don't want to clean those refrigerators and they want a new one instead.' And so what she decided to do was find a local green cleaner that cleaned the refrigerators and we sent it back, which obviously is saving money, since we don't have to buy new refrigerator every time someone doesn't want to clean it, and it obviously is having a green aspect with the cleaning as well."

Then, the news report progressed onto the next item.  But I was still sitting there with my mouth open. They toss refrigerators simply because the appliances are  dirty?!

Clearly, if this is the norm, the Capitol has a long way to go in getting greener.

Meanwhile, for the rest of us schmucks, the feds are planning a sequel to the Cash for Clunkers automotive program that offer people up to $200 replace old, energy-sucking appliances with new ones. Details to be announced later this year.