Refrigerants

Opportunities to Make a Difference

Educate your friends and family on climate impact of HFCs

Highlight importance of

1) Responsible disposal of refrigerators, air conditioners, heat pumps, etc. at end of life

2) Looking for HFC free appliances when buying new

Key resources on HFCs

Climate - EIA US

‍Grassroots Action - EIA US

‍

Email EPA and tell them to make it easier to dispose of HFC appliances

Tell EPA that consumers need an effortless way to safely dispose of their old appliances

‍Potential Talking Points‍

Unfortunately, most people aren't aware of the climate risk of HFCs
Even if they are, most aren't likely to invest the time needed to arrange for safe disposal of their appliances
The EPA needs to create an alternative to the RAD program that provides consumers a turnkey solution

Email Link

‍Contact Us About Reducing HFCs | US EPA

‍

Show Notes

Biden earth day executive order

Focused on strengthening forests

Building wildfire resilience
Conservation including protecting old growth
Accelerating reforestation

Sources

Executive Order on Strengthening the Nation's Forests, Communities, and Local Economies | The White House

Biden Executive Order Helps Address Climate , Conserve Forests (nature.org)

‍

This week’s reason for hope

Hope in U.S. House for climate action this year

Representative Jaime Raskin

Optimistic about prospects of passing climate legislation
Told Reuters in a recent interview "We should cut the deals that need to be cut," while "trying to build as large a coalition as possible."

Senator Joe Manchin

Key vote on climate legislation
Recently indicated a willingness to support climate change investments if paid for by raising tax revenues and lowering costs of prescription drugs covered by Medicare

Sources

Lawmaker Raskin sees hope for U.S. climate legislation this year | Reuters

‍

Hydrofluorocarbons also called HFCs are type of refrigerant

Potent greenhouse gas
Responsible for around 11% of total warming emissions to date

With world heating up, air conditioning devices estimated to increase from 3.6 billion to 9.5 billion by 2050

In 2016, officials from over 150 countries signed the Kigali Amendment, agreeing to reduce HFC consumption by 80% by 2047

Last Fall EPA regulation was released - targeted 85% cut in HFCs over the next 15 years

Without radical changes to cooling industry, HFC emissions projected to contribute warming equivalent to 20% of CO2 output in 2050 and lead to an additional 0.5 degrees Celsius of warming

1992-93 Greenpeace developed and helped commercialize hydrocarbon refrigerators using isobutane as refrigerant