Some major companies are working with the White House to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
The White House announced on Tuesday, September 16 that the Obama Administration has teamed up with leading private sector companies to slow the effects of climate change by targeting the super greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
“HFCs, factory-made gases used in air conditioning and refrigeration, are one of the strongest greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and are up to 10,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” the White House explains. “Unless we act now, U.S. HFC emissions are expected to nearly double by 2020 and triple by 2030.”
Coca-Cola, the world’s largest beverage company, is one of the massive companies that has signed on to reduce HFC emissions. The company’s goal is for 100 percent of its newly purchased cold drink equipment to be HFC-free. Energy drink giant Red Bull is also on board. It will order approximately 32,000 climate-friendly hydrocarbon coolers for 2015. Red Bull has reportedly committed to 100% procurement of ECO-Coolers for its beverages where “technically and legally feasible.”
Other companies mentioned by the White House that are “making significant commitments to phase out or phase down their use of HFCs and transition to climate-friendly alternatives that are good for the environment and good for business” are:
The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy
Air Conditioning Heating & Refrigeration Institute
Arkema
Carrier
Danfoss
DuPont
Emerson Climate Technologies
Goodman Manufacturing Company
Hillphoenix
Honeywell
Johnson Controls
Kroger
Lapolla
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)
Mission Pharmacal
PepsiCo
SEVO SystemsTarget
Thermo King
True Manufacturing
The White House is also reviewing revisions to Federal acquisition regulations that will promote climate-friendly HFC alternatives for refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in Federal buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency will continue its efforts to educate both government agencies and the private sector about HFC alternatives by organizing various workshops and creating consistent refrigerant management regulations.
The announcement from the White House also details new funding being made available by the Department of Energy for the research and development of methods and technologies that result in energy reductions in U.S. buildings.
“The commitments made today would reduce cumulative global consumption of these greenhouse gases by the equivalent of 700 million metric tons of carbon dioxide through 2025, equivalent to 1.5% of the world’s 2010 greenhouse gas emissions and the same as taking nearly 15 million cars off the road for 10 years,” the White House explains.
This action by the White House comes just after a NASA report confirmed that August 2014 was the warmest August ever, data that adds to the evidence showing a long-term warming trend resulting from rising greenhouse gas levels.
