Remember when you had the AC blasting for a week straight because it was a billion degrees out? If not, allow your lengthy electricity bill to remind you. It’s a similar feeling to drunk online shopping — it feels worth it in the moment, but when you check your credit card bill, you are catapulted into a pool of self-loathing.
Many of us are aware of the habits that reduce energy consumption — the plugs to pull and the switches to turn off. But what if I suggested that you unplug your refrigerator?

An Indian entrepreneur has created a refrigerator made entirely out of clay that keeps food cool without having to be plugged into an electrical outlet. Mansukhbhai Raghavbhai Prajapati, a Gujarat-based potter, makes his natural, MittiCool refrigerator to be an alternative for people in rural areas who can’t afford conventional refrigerators. However, the interest in this design is taking off across the world.
The MittiCool fridge uses water evaporation, a natural cooling effect, to keep produce fresh for up to a week and store milk for up to three days. Water from upper chambers drips down the side of the clay fridge and takes away heat as it evaporates, leaving the shelving chambers cool. Water is stored in the upper chamber and can be used for drinking via a small faucet tap on the front lower-end of the chamber. Two shelves in the lower chamber are used for storing food the first is used for produce, while the second shelf can be used for storing milk.

While it may be simpler and smaller than traditional refrigerators, in our ever-changing world with growing consumption, why not try new ways of conserving food and energy? Whether it’s a studio apartment or your favorite camping sites, MittiCool will indeed keep your essentials cool. Claims have even been made that this affordable fridge preserves the exceptional taste of fruits and vegetables better than many conventional models that run on electricity.
MittiCool requires little to no maintenance and continues to function even in cases of power outages or locations that have no electricity at all. With a surge in locally grown food, a desire for sustainable living, and our ever-growing to-do lists — maybe it’s true that living simpler is better. Just add water and stir.
