When i read this head line, i thought to myself," What does this have to do with companies and technology"? After i read this article i then thought, "GENIUS"!
This article talks about how Ben & Jerry's is making a global and bold move in how we know "refrigeration". Typical refrigerators that keep ice cream cold in ice cream stores, do more than keep our ice cream from melting. They release Hydroflurcarbons (HEC's), which are potent greenhouse gasses and are actually adding to global warming. Greenpeace blames F-gases for about 16% of man-made global warming. Ben & Jerry's has stepped up to the plate as the ice cream company to change this simple but costly change and have committed themselves to phasing out HFC's . The have already started switching from old cooling machines to NEW coolers that are (HEC) free. This is a very costly technological adventure, but very necessary. Ben & Jerry's estimates it could convert more than 100,000 ice cream cabinets in 8 to 10 years depending on the EPA. Right now the EPA has approved Ben & Jerry's to test up to 2,000 freezers, which is only a fraction of the number they need to make this "new cooling process" a reality in the near future. Ben & Jerry's said. "If we get the approval from the EPA, we will roll them out in large numbers". This sounds like a long time, but think about how many ice cream places there are in the United States 8 to 10 years is pretty quick. I think this is a big technological step for all ice cream companies/stores all over. I mean its not some big headline news from like apple releasing a new gadget that will make them $$$$ lots of money. This on the other hand actually costs the company money, but helps everyone. I mean they didn't answer the question of how to fit more bandwidth, more memory, make something smaller or more compact, or how to make things easier for someone. They answered the question of how to keep our ice cream cold, with out warming the planet. That's huge in the technology field. Before this invention, the big thing was "smart" vending machines that learn how to cool drinks only at times when customers want them. Those in office buildings, for instance, power down over night, saving electricity and reducing emissions. Even though it will cost Ben & Jerry's alot of money, they will earn them "doing good things" points with their customers which in return turn in to a big increase in sales for them because who wouldnt want to buy from the company who revolutionized the standard for cooling ice cream. So far this looks like a very optimistic plan for the ice cream industry. But who knows, in an attempt to solve one environmental problem another can become apparent to the world. This is the problem we face everyday, but with companies like Ben & Jerry's taking the initiative at least we can say our future in ice cream technology looks bright,...or in this case cold!
1 comment:
The new refrigerators that Ben & Jerry's are trying to implement will help the environment greatly. If other types of products and foods were to implement these type of refrigerators, they would help the environment greatly and help reduce the amount of potent greenhouse gasses that are emitted into the air.
Because Ben & Jerry's is taking the initiative to help protect the environment, they are scoring major points with potential and current customers. If someone usually just bought store brand ice cream because it was cheaper, and then hear about Ben & Jerry's is trying to help protect the environment, they might be more likely to spend the extra money to buy the ice cream because they know it be partly used to help decrease greenhouse gasses in the environment.
Since Ben & Jerry's is spending their own money and aren't going to be making any money off of these new refrigerators, you know they are not like most companies that are just concerned with making a profit. Ben & Jerry's is going to be making a huge investment and taking a huge risk in trying to implement these refrigerators everywhere; this shows how unselfish the Ben & Jerry's company is, and makes me like them that much more.
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