For those of you interested in keeping a close eye on the goings on at the UN climate change summit in Bali, click here to access live webcasts from the event. Sadly, America seems to be maintaining its negative stance on the Kyoto protocol. The head of the US delegation, Harlan Watson, said the country would not be swayed by Australia’s decision to ratify the protocol or the Senate committee move to limit greeenhouse gas emissions.
While the American government is giving further evidence of shocking short-sightedness and negligence, some American companies seem to be moving in the opposite direction. Last week major supermarkets joined with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) on a a voluntary program to promote green technologies, strategies, and practices that protect the stratospheric ozone layer, reduce greenhouse gases, and save money. The program is called GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership.
“As Americans make greener choices, we look for companies that support a greener lifestyle,” said Robert J. Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “The GreenChill logo is a clear sign of a supermarket’s environmental commitment. It shows that GreenChill members are doing their utmost to save the ozone layer.”
The ten GreenChill founding partners are: Whole Foods Market; Food Lion, LLC; Giant Eagle Inc.; Hannaford Bros. Co.; Harris Teeter; Hill PHOENIX; Honeywell International; Kysor//Warren; Publix Super Markets Inc.; and DuPont.
These partners, as well as those in the future, must pledge to go above and beyond regulatory requirements by establishing an inventory of current refrigerant emissions that may affect climate change and the stratospheric ozone layer, and then setting reduction targets for these emissions. Partners will also participate in an industry/government research initiative to assess the performance of cutting edge “green” technologies in terms of energy efficiency, reduction of ozone-depleting refrigerant charges, and minimization of refrigerant leaks.
As an example of GreenChill Partnership initiatives that decrease the impact of supermarkets on climate change, EPA estimates that widespread adoption of advanced refrigeration technologies, best practices, and improved equipment design and service could reduce refrigerant emissions by one million metric tons of carbon equivalent per year, the equivalent of taking 800,000 automobiles off the road every year.
EPA believes that GreenChill partners’ adoption of advanced refrigeration technologies will lead to increased energy efficiency and reduce operating expenses to the industry by over $12 million annually.
