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Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. We take great pains to make sure we donate whatever we don’t need t

Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. We take great pains to make sure we donate whatever we don’t need that isn’t really trash. What shocked me is that a lot of time the typical places like Salvation Army and Goodwill won’t even take stuff because they get too much! We had a perfectly good fridge to give away (everything working, clean, cosmetically near perfect - just didn’t fit in the new place we moved to) and literally no one would take it. Finally was able to give it to a friend of a friend. EDIT: Also remembered that we tried to give away a commercial-grade dishwasher to Habitat for Humanity who build/rehab housing for low income folks. They politely explained that they couldn’t take it because it didn’t meet efficiency requirements. While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA).

ipaddr 5y ago
Reuse = replace when it comes to energy waste.
dehrmann 5y ago
> Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. I'm not convinced CVS throws away enough hair brushes and toothpaste (examples from the article) that they'd care about the incentives.
bobthepanda 5y ago
> While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA). Keep in mind that homes for Habitat for Humanity go to low income people. Energy efficiency standards for appliances have made them drastically more efficient over the years, and it's probably not great to saddle low income people with higher energy bills. In fact, a big problem with continued improvements in this area is that low income people are the most likely to be living with less efficient appliances, homes with inefficient heating, cooling and insulation, etc. and they also do not have the money to actually upgrade any of that and lower their bills.
- sologoub 5y ago
  The difference for the dishwasher we had was minimal, but due to being commercial, it wasn’t certified with the right rating. It would have likely been a great option due to durability and the overall quality.
Spooky23 5y ago
Appliance energy rules are incredibly dumb. We yield marginal downward demand curve for electricity, in exchange for shit appliances that have a 4-5 year expected life. I’ve probably bought more appliances in 15 years of home ownership than my parents did in 50.
- Dylan16807 5y ago
  I don't blame the shoddy construction on the energy rules. Should I?
  - Spooky23 5y ago
    In many cases, yes. There’s an incentive to get better test results by undersizing motors or fans that provide cooling. The heat related stuff is easiest to see in consumer fridges and freezers. The motor sizing stuff is easiest to see in washing machines. If you compare a model that is used for commercial laundromats like a Speed Queen to a like “consumer” washer, the Speed Queen will use 5-7% more power, due to a larger motor and heavier parts. It also costs less and includes a 5 year parts warranty. Obviously energy regulatory stuff isn’t the only driver, but it’s a one dimensional regulatory framework that has bad consumer outcomes imho. (Unlike cars, where emissions controls made cars better)
    - sologoub 5y ago
      Can confirm - we lucked in to some lightly used commercial dishwashers. No issues for years (unlike a high-end home dishwasher we recently bought). No discernible difference on the electric or water bill.

ipaddr 5y ago

Reuse = replace when it comes to energy waste.

dehrmann 5y ago

> Retail waste of unsold inventory could also be managed with proper incentives/tax benefits. I'm not convinced CVS throws away enough hair brushes and toothpaste (examples from the article) that they'd care about the incentives.

bobthepanda 5y ago

> While I’m all for being efficient with power, it feels like a waste of resources in this case that could have gone towards more housing (it’s an issue of laws in CA). Keep in mind that homes for Habitat for Humanity go to low income people. Energy efficiency standards for appliances have made them drastically more efficient over the years, and it's probably not great to saddle low income people with higher energy bills. In fact, a big problem with continued improvements in this area is that low income people are the most likely to be living with less efficient appliances, homes with inefficient heating, cooling and insulation, etc. and they also do not have the money to actually upgrade any of that and lower their bills.

sologoub 5y ago
The difference for the dishwasher we had was minimal, but due to being commercial, it wasn’t certified with the right rating. It would have likely been a great option due to durability and the overall quality.

Spooky23 5y ago

Appliance energy rules are incredibly dumb. We yield marginal downward demand curve for electricity, in exchange for shit appliances that have a 4-5 year expected life. I’ve probably bought more appliances in 15 years of home ownership than my parents did in 50.

Dylan16807 5y ago
I don't blame the shoddy construction on the energy rules. Should I?
- Spooky23 5y ago
  In many cases, yes. There’s an incentive to get better test results by undersizing motors or fans that provide cooling. The heat related stuff is easiest to see in consumer fridges and freezers. The motor sizing stuff is easiest to see in washing machines. If you compare a model that is used for commercial laundromats like a Speed Queen to a like “consumer” washer, the Speed Queen will use 5-7% more power, due to a larger motor and heavier parts. It also costs less and includes a 5 year parts warranty. Obviously energy regulatory stuff isn’t the only driver, but it’s a one dimensional regulatory framework that has bad consumer outcomes imho. (Unlike cars, where emissions controls made cars better)
  - sologoub 5y ago
    Can confirm - we lucked in to some lightly used commercial dishwashers. No issues for years (unlike a high-end home dishwasher we recently bought). No discernible difference on the electric or water bill.