If you have an old refrigerator in your garage taking up space and wasting energy, it may be time to find a new place to keep your beer cold. If you live in the Oncor service territory (which includes the DFW area and other parts of central and northern Texas) or in Austin, you can have that fridge picked up and recycled and they'll give you 50 bucks! Here's a press release about the program from the company that provides the service:

Oncor’s Newest Energy Efficiency Program Pays Customers $50 for Recycling Old, Working Refrigerators and Freezers

Oncor, with an electric service delivery area that spans from north of Dallas to the northern edge of Austin, has rolled out the Great Texas Refrigerator Roundup. This energy-efficiency program provides free pickup service plus a $50 payment to participating homeowners for surrendering their old, working refrigerators. Appliances turned in to the program are recycled in an environmentally sound manner. Click here for a map of the Oncor delivery area.   

By replacing an inefficient, 20-year old refrigerator with a new ENERGY STAR® rated model, a customer can save roughly 700 kWh per year and the savings from the removal of a second refrigerator (in a basement or garage) can save about 1,200 kWh per year.  Removing a second refrigerator can result in energy savings of up to $150 per year.

In addition to the emissions reduced by this energy conservation, Oncor's contractor, Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.,(ARCA), uses innovative processes to reclaim up to 95% of every appliance so that all of the steel, aluminum, copper, glass and plastic are recycled. These processes also ensure that ozone-depleting refrigerants and hazardous materials such as mercury and PCBs are recovered to prevent contamination of Texas’ air, water and soil.

To start saving now, consumers in Oncor’s service area who have a working refrigerator or freezer and want to participate in the program should visit www.OncorRecycle.com for more information or call 1-866-472-9376 or to schedule a collection appointment.  

ARCA, one of the nation's largest recyclers of major household appliances for energy conservation programs, also provides this service to Austin Energy customers. The Austin Energy program, which has been operating for over four years, has now recycled over 10,000 old, energy-inefficient units. To take advantage of Austin Energy’s program you can Click here , send an email to custinfo@austinenergy.com or call 1-800-452-8685 to schedule a collection appointment.