AUBURN, CA – BriarPatch Food Co-op’s Grass Valley store recently received special recognition from EPA’s GreenChill Program: “Most Improved Emissions Rate in 2023 (Year-to-Year).” GreenChill holds a recognition event once a year and announced this year’s recipients during the FMI Energy & Store Development Conference in Baltimore, MD on September 25.
EPA’s GreenChill Program is a voluntary partnership with food retailers, system manufacturers, and chemical producers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease stores’ impact on the ozone layer and climate. GreenChill’s mission is to incentivize and support the supermarket industry to: transition to zero ozone-depleting and lower global-warming potential refrigerants; lower refrigerant charge sizes and eliminate leaks; and adopt refrigeration technologies and best environmental practices to minimize emissions. There are over 13,500 GreenChill Partner stores throughout the nation.
Refrigerants used by supermarkets are harmful to the environment when emitted into the atmosphere; some harm the ozone layer, and most are very potent greenhouse gases. A typical supermarket using a traditional refrigeration system leaks about 25% of installed refrigerant into the atmosphere every year. GreenChill Partner stores, on the other hand, have emissions rates that are about half that of the industry average.
Quote from Chris Maher, BriarPatch Food Co-op General Manager: “GreenChill platinum certification is a huge achievement for BriarPatch, and it is such an honor to be recognized by the EPA’s GreenChill Program for our ‘Year-to-Year Most Improved Emissions Rate.’ It signifies our commitment to impacting climate change by investing in a natural refrigeration system. Refrigerants have historically been our leading source of emissions, and the new CO2 system is helping us reduce the store’s total emissions significantly from what they would be with a traditional system.”
Quote from Bella Maranion, Senior Advisor in EPA’s Stratospheric Protection Division and member of the GreenChill Team: “GreenChill is incredibly proud of its independent and co-op Partners, including BriarPatch Food Co-op. The Co-op’s achievement of Most Improved Emissions Rate is no small feat.”
Learn more about EPA’s GreenChill Program: www.epa.gov/greenchill.