Apr 29 2009
Coca-Cola is going green in Washington, D.C. The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises will demonstrate their environmental leadership through a series of innovations designed to reduce the Coca-Cola system’s environmental footprint at each step in the manufacturing, distribution and sales processes. These efforts include climate-friendly beverage coolers, hybrid electric delivery trucks and trailers, and a recycling program for the National Mall and Memorial Parks.
“With more than six million visitors each year, there is no better place to launch a comprehensive greening effort than here in the nation’s capital where people from all walks of life celebrate our country’s rich history and enjoy our beverages,” said Sandy Douglas, president, Coca-Cola North America. “We are exploring new ways to protect the environment, and Washington, D.C., is a visible demonstration of the innovation that Coca-Cola is implementing around the country.”
“From hybrid delivery trucks to climate-friendly coolers to support for recycling at our National Parks, we are showcasing our innovative approach to going to market in an environmentally responsible way,” said Steve Cahillane, president, Coca-Cola Enterprises North America. “Our work in Washington, D.C. and across the United States demonstrates our commitment to supporting sustainable communities.”
New Climate Friendly Coolers
The House of Representatives will be among the first locations in the country to test new climate-friendly, HFC-free, energy-efficient Coca-Cola coolers. Four beverage coolers will be installed at the House of Representatives in the coming weeks, and up to 1,800 Coca-Cola coolers and vending machines will be deployed throughout the U.S. and Canada later this year. These include 1,400 climate-friendly coolers and vending machines that will be deployed at the venues during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The new climate-friendly Coca-Cola coolers use carbon dioxide (CO2), a natural refrigerant gas and HFC-Free insulation, eliminating 99 percent of the direct green house gas (GHG) emissions. The coolers include an intelligent energy management system (EMS-55) that cuts energy use by an average of 26 percent. CO2-based cooling technology ensures a natural, climate-friendly alternative to HFCs and reduces energy use. CO2 has 1,400 times less global warming impact than R-134a, the most typical HFC refrigerant gas, and will reduce indirect green house gas emissions by more than three tons over the lifetime of the machine.
Hybrid Electric Delivery Trucks
Coca-Cola Enterprises, the world’s largest bottler of Coca-Cola products, has deployed 20 hybrid electric delivery trucks and tractor trailers throughout the Washington D.C. area in the last year. CCE’s hybrid electric trucks use about 30 percent less fuel and produce about 30 percent fewer emissions than standard trucks, and use technology to drastically reduce emissions when they’re idling or in traffic.
CCE will deploy 327 hybrid delivery vehicles throughout the United States and Canada by later this year, the largest heavy-duty hybrid electric delivery fleet in North America. The fleet will include more than 150 hybrid electric tractor trailers, the largest hybrid vehicles in North America, and more than 170 hybrid electric 12-bay delivery trucks.
Support for National Parks
Building on more than 75 years of support for America’s National Parks, Coca-Cola, the National Park Service (NPS), the National Park Foundation (NPF), and the Trust for the National Mall (TNM) today launched a partnership to create a recycling program for the National Mall and Memorial Parks. Coca-Cola Recycling will work with NPS and TNM to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the waste stream at the National Mall and develop a sustainable recycling program. The program will be designed to suit the needs of special events and include recycling education for visitors to the parks.
“As one of our valued ’Proud Partners’, Coca-Cola is stepping up to help us preserve, enhance and ensure the sustainability of our country’s beautiful National Parks and recreation areas for generations to come,” said Peggy O'Dell, Region Director, National Capital Region, National Parks Service. “Through Coca-Cola’s support for the new recycling program, we hope to achieve the Interior Department’s goal of diverting 50 percent of solid waste from landfills through recycling by 2010.”
Coca-Cola also announced the year two, $600,000 expansion of the National Parks’ Active Trails program which targets an additional nine parks during 2009. In 2008, Coca-Cola committed $1.2 million in funding to promote and preserve National Parks trails for active recreation, community volunteerism and environmental education. Through this program more than 100 miles of trails in seven parks have been restored or enhanced and used to engage urban youth and local communities in active recreation at the National Parks.