Greenpeace has applauded Coca-Cola's commitment to use climate-friendly coolers and vending machines at all official venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

This is the first time that 100 per cent of Coca-Cola coolers and vending machines for the Games will feature hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-free insulation, HFC-free natural refrigerant, and a proprietary technology called Energy Management System (EMS) that improves energy-efficiency by up to 35 per cent, said an official spokesman.

Calculations based on an expected 10-year life span of the units reveal that approximately 6,350 climate-friendly refrigeration units to be placed by Coca-Cola in the venues reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 45,000 metric tons.

To help put this number in perspective, it is comparable to taking about 218,000 cars off the road for two weeks during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

This commitment came as a result of continuous joint efforts to advance sustainable refrigeration from Greenpeace and Coca-Cola since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Greenpeace has been campaigning for the phase-out of HFC air-conditioners and refrigerators since the early 1990s. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, HFCs are potent greenhouse gases and some HFCs are 11,700 times more harmful than carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

'This innovative approach of combining natural refrigerants and energy-efficient technology is a great example of how a business can work with other stakeholders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,' said Campaign and Communications Director of Greenpeace China Lo Sze Ping.-Trade Arabia News Service