Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Any "No Fridge!" Folks Near New York?


My old, old post here, on "No Refrigerator- for 30 Years" - (38, now...) continues to be one that gets very high attention, every day.

Today it's the BBC that's interested; and looking for a little help from you:

Chloe Hadjimatheou has left a new comment on your post "No Refrigerator- for 30 years...":

Hi there,
I am a BBC journalist working on a radio documentary about how fridges change people's lives around the world. We are in New York this week and looking to meet someone who has chosen to live without a fridge. Can you help? Please contact me either via FB (chloehadj@hotmail.com) or else via email chloe.hadjimatheou@bbc.co.uk or phone +447974105829.
Many thanks!!
Chloe

It would be a good thing for the BBC to get a little of the other side of the story!  If you are, or know someone who might be- able to meet up with Chloe and team- please do.

And share this on your other communications outlets; we should be able to find someone somewhere.

Chloe- 2 things to keep in mind on this subject; which the refrigerator manufacturers won't point out:

100 years ago- no one had one.  If it weren't possible to do without- your grandparents wouldn't have had any children, and no one alive today would - be alive today.  Sure, there may have been a few more cases of food poisoning- but those cases were mostly due to poverty and ignorance; just as they are still.  And;

100 years ago- the global obesity epidemic was not yet happening.  If you check - you will find that obesity tends to follow the advent of refrigerators...

Seriously.  You could do hard statistics on that point, with info on the internet.  I don't think it's been done.  Yet.

And, Chloe- if you don't wind up with anyone in the New York area who works out; you're more than welcome to just pop over to Minnesota.  :-)

9 comments:

Ruben said...

They should contact No Impact Man, I bet they know some people who have gone fridge-free.

Melissa said...

I'm not as hardcore as you are (yet), nor do I live in NY, but I am in awe simply because fridge life is all I've ever known and the learning curve would be *steep! I'd love to read more experiences about it! Thanks for leading the way!

Randy C said...

We have been trying to sell our house now for about a year and have had many showings. One of the real sticking points for many people is that we don't have a refrigerator. Yes, there is a spot for one, but people walk in that kitchen and just don't know what to do. No fridge????? How do you people live???? or "They must be minimalists!" Like it is a crime and I guess it is, a crime against consumerism.
My washing machine (a Maytag wringer out of the 1960s) draws similar attention. "Do you think they really use it????" Yes, I am just so weird. Just wait until they see the hand powered washing machine I have tucked away in the barn!

Greenpa said...

Randy - I hear. There are likely places for "permaculture", and "sustainable" and "Transition" communities; which would be glad to hear of your opportunity. A lot smaller target than "mainstream" - but - a lot friendlier to this kind of thing. You've probably already done that, I know, but thought I'd mention.

Randy C said...

We are selling for a variety of reasons, one of which is to have the freedom to find a sustainable community where we can be "normal" again.

Greenpa said...

Randy- and not a thing wrong with that. Thoreau didn't live in that micro-cabin at Walden the rest of his life. But he seems to have learned a great deal worth knowing- from doing it for a while.

I'm still in my tiny Little House - but that's me.

Xiwen said...

Hi, just googled 'no fridge food' and your previous blogpost popped up! I am staying in the university hostel and there is no fridge that we think we can't store things up for too long. Thanks for the information provided in your blog, it is helpful!

Greenpa said...

Wendy; many thanks! I see you are living in Malaysia at the moment, yes? It's not the way the "styles" go, but you should have access there to village elders, who know far more about living without a fridge than I do; with good specific information for your region. Elders are precious- and they love it when a young person listens. Good luck in all your futures. :-)

Randy C said...

Greenpa,
Up date: We have a contract on our farm and hope to go to closing in late July. I'm planning a long canoe trip, about three months long in NC, VA, WV, WI and MN. I'm looking forward to the new life and still not having a refrigerator... ;)
Randy