Refrigerants

Refrigerants cool your refrigerator, but warm the Earth.

Before the invention of the refrigerator, we relied on old techniques of salting and burying our foods in snow. The food was often too salty, wet, or moldy. In 1805, the fridge changed that. This revolutionary technology is now in nearly everyone's home - but it has a cryptic side. We will explore the process of refrigeration, coolants, and how to lessen your refrigerator's impact on climate change. 

The principle of refrigeration is quite simple. When a liquid evaporates, it absorbs heat. When a liquid condenses, it releases heat. A refrigerator utilizes three main components. An expansion device works to "evaporate" the substance inside of the fridge. Since this liquid is evaporating, it absorbs the heat from food inside the fridge through evaporator coils. It then exits the refrigerator through a compressor, "condensing" the liquid. This mechanism transfers excess heat to the outside of your fridge. Over the course of the process, it cools your foods and beverages. However, refrigerators don't just chill. 

Inside of these coils, the "liquid" is commonly a dangerous refrigerant that is adverse to the environment and the climate. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are a stunning 1,400 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. They represent over 1.5% of global warming potential and may raise temperatures by 0.5 degrees Celsius by 2100. Even these small numbers can have an immense impact on the environment, wildlife, and our health. Luckily, The Consumer Goods Forum is taking action to promote regulations around HFCs - but everyone needs to help eliminate them. 

There are alternatives to HFCs. By checking your fridge to see its coolant, you can help combat climate change. It's simple. Look up your fridge brand model and find it's coolant. If it is an HFC, CFC, or HCFC, consider replacing your fridge and properly disposing of the refrigerant by visiting your waste management facility. This process will save you carbon, energy, and even money in the long-run. If we eliminate all HFCs, we can eliminate 0.5 degrees Celsius of warming. 

Avoid Refrigerants Containing

• HFC

• CFC

• HCFC

Next time you open your fridge, be grateful for this technology. But remember, nothing is as simple as it may seem. Refrigerators might cool your food, but they are heating our planet. Still, even with the elimination of HFCs, we need to address the 98.5% of global warming potential remaining. Fortunately, you can keep browsing articles on Light CO2 to take small steps that have a meaningful impact- collectively.