Curiously limiting choice of alternatives...
Since
my own refrigerator is a $90 (as I recall) second-hand converted mini-freezer that uses maybe 73 Kw-h per year (since the conversion), I'd be very hard pressed to find anything that was less expensive, and less a burden on the environment, since the price of ecological damage caused by manufacturing had already been paid, and I re-purposed it such that it's power use has been drastically reduced and it's useful life is now greatly extended.
* * *
But, to play the game:
I think that since we (North America) have not developed the practice of building appliances with recyclable modules, the damage to the environment from manufacturing a new refrigerator, is likely to NOT be offset by scrapping and buying a newly manufactured one that has
only reduced it's energy use by 62%. So, I'd try to find some way to keep the old one running...
For me, I would ask around to see if anybody I know needed a refrigerator for free.
If that didn't do it, I'd go on the Internet to my local
FreeCycle, to see if anybody wanted one for free.
If that didn't do it, I'd go on to CraigsList to see if anybody wanted one for free.
If that didn't do it, I'd haul it 1/4 mile down the street to Goodwill, and donate it.
If that didn't fit the moment, I'd roll it 100 feet to my fairly busy street corner and set it out on the curb with "
FREE, WORKING" plainly printed on the door. It would be gone within 30 minutes.
-AC