Here’s a really cool idea, and we mean this literally. Let’s say you have an aging, wheezing, watt-sucking refrigerator that’s lived through way too many presidential elections. (And if you’re chopping carrots in a kitchen featuring anything that can be described as harvest gold or avocado green, you know who you are.)

Well, now you can bump up the style factor of your kitchen while giving the environment a break in the process. ENERGY STAR®, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, has launched a nationwide campaign urging Americans to recycle their old refrigerators when upgrading to new ENERGY STAR®-rated models.

And here’s a few reasons to think about it, courtesy of http://recyclemyoldfridge.com

• You’re throwing away up to $100 every year to keep an old fridge (pre-1993) running.
• That old icebox uses more than twice the amount of energy need to keep your food cold.
• Recycling one ton of steel (about 16 full-size refrigerators) conserves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 lbs of limestone.

Now, here’s the fun part. Innovations in technology and a nod towards aesthetics and design have taken the drudgery out of shopping for a new, ENERGY STAR®-related refrigerator. In fact, with most top brands offering so many features, options and colors, it’s safe to say shopping for a state-of-the-art fridge is an ideal first step towards dialing up the style quotient in your cucina.

A stylish new kitchen. A gold star for being environmentally conscious. And probably a lower energy bill. If that’s not fabulous, we don’t know what is.