Real Fridge and Freezer Energy Savings

Hey Mr. Green,
What is the correct temperature for my refrigerator and freezer? --Phil in University Place, Washington

Set the fridge between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at 0*F. Keep both filled--if necessary, with jugs of water or ice. It's an urban myth that cleaning the fridge's coils periodically with a brush or a vacuum cleaner will save energy, but standing there with the door open pondering what to eat is an indisputable juice drain. For bigger savings, visit energystar.gov to find Energy Star models.

Affordable Electric Cars

Hey Mr. Green,
Is there a practical electric car a person of moderate means can buy and operate? --Kent in Sherman Oaks, California

If by practical you mean an ordinary family car, I can't recommend anything except stealing one of those electric models--like Toyota's RAV4 EV--from the handful of lucky souls who acquired one before the auto industry quit making them. (That sad story was best told in the 2006 documentary by Chris Paine, Who Killed the Electric Car?)

Otherwise, you could order a Tesla Roadster for $100,000, but that might be a bit beyond your price range. You can explore a number of small, get-around-town models at the Electric Auto Association's Web site (eaaev.org/eaaevsforsale.html). The other option, if you are mechanically inclined and have a lot of time on your hands, is to retrofit a standard car with an electric motor at a cost of around $10,000, plus 200 to 300 hours of toil rigging it up. The EAA site can lead you to suppliers.

DIY Seltzer Water

Hey Mr. Green,
I know that bottled water is bad and rarely buy it. However, I really enjoy seltzer water. Is there a way to make my own at home and save on bottles and shipping? --Melinda in Lakeland, Florida

You're right about bottled water. It's been so thoroughly and convincingly ripped for so many reasons by so many critics that it's amazing anybody still buys the stuff. The U.S. wholesale cost alone is $10 billion annually, and worldwide sales exceed $50 billion. That $50 billion, if invested in water systems, could provide safe drinking water for the billion of our thirsty fellow humans who don't have it and save the lives of the 2.2 million who die from waterborne diseases every year.

But even if you must have your fizz fix, you can bypass bottle buying. Soda makers, which use refillable carbon dioxide cylinders, and soda siphons, which have single-use cartridges, are easy to use and cost about $50 to $300. If you need further guidance, go to consumerreports.org and search for "A Missed Pop-ortunity" (or click here).