Oversized refrigerators

The United States has well documented problems both with obesity and food waste.  It is estimated about 40 percent of the fresh produce we purchase is thrown out. This waste often ends up in land fills, producing methane, a major producer of green house gases.  The US is also second in the world, only to Mexico, in the number of its citizens who are over weight.  

Perhaps it is not surprising that our refrigerators have grown about 3 cubic feet in size since 1980.  Having a refrigerator provides consumers with more space to stock up on food, which then can easily lead to overconsumption and waste.  Whether it is our house, garage or refrigerator, we tend to fill our space, however much we have.

So if you're thinking of upgrading your refrigerator, please keep in mind that small is beautiful, and that bigger is certainly not always better.

You can read more about this issue in an CNBC article, As waistlines grow, so do our refrigerator sizes.