Refrigerant Project
HOW WE GOT STARTED:
When we took the Drawdown Eco-Challenge (https://drawdown.ecochallenge.org/) we were shocked to learn that the refrigerant fluids in grocery stores warm the climate 2,000 - 4,000 MORE than carbon dioxide! Even worse, about 25% of those fluids leak into the atmosphere every year.
The good news is that natural refrigerants exist, and most of Europe is already using them. The other good news is that if grocery stores switch to natural refrigerant systems, we can make a deep & significant cut in emissions. The final good news is that state of California has excellent laws that are requiring grocery stores to stop using the worst refrigerants.
The bad news is that it is very expensive to make the switch to natural refrigerant systems.
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What We Did:
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We used the information from the Climate Friendly Supermarket site (https://www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/) and sponsored an information session and "field trip" on zoom with participants from 4 different states! We audited local grocery stores to find out which refrigerants they were using, and added the stores to the map at (https://www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/)
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What We Are Doing:
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We are working with Alameda Natural Grocery to help them transition to climate-friendly refrigerants. Team members will interview grocery store owners, set up & speak at presentations to groups, organize & conduct refrigerant scavenger hunts, staff outreach tables, raise funds, make a webpage, research financing mechanisms, & write grants. The Alameda team already has leaders, but we need more team members. There is also room for leadership and team members in other East Bay cities. https://forms.gle/k1nPPoodd4N48CD39
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