Google Latitude Competes for Location Based Incentives Niche

April 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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  Google recently jumped into the pool with Foursquare to compete head-on in the location based apps arena. Google launched check-ins and rewards to their Google Maps app, Latitude.  Latitude is currently an app for iPhone and Android that tracks user location, asks them if they’d like to check in, and provides opportunities to earn discounts and special offers at businesses they patronize regularly. While there are no Mayors, there are Gurus and VIPs. Really, who doesn’t want to be a Guru or VIP of their favorite eatery or imbibing spot? Google has even partnered with American Eagle, Macy’s, and Quizno’s to provide high profile incentives to their users. Some may say that the tracking software is nothing more than glorified and justified stalking. Businesses are looking at this app from another angle. Businesses stand to gain a regular customer base simply by offering incentives for multiple check-ins to their locations. What’s unique about Latitude, beyond … [Read more...]

Carbon Dioxide Refrigerant Makes a GREEN Comeback

April 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

  Over 100 years of Carbon Dioxide as a Refrigerant? CO2 was the refrigerant of choice during the early 20th century but was later replaced with man-made chemicals. In light of environmental concerns carbon dioxide is making a return appearance. Thanks to technological advances that include the manufacture of extremely thin yet strong aluminum tubing carbon dioxide is now a more practical and affordable choice when selecting a refrigerant. The Linde Group says that Carbon Dioxide marketed and sold as, R744, “is environmentally friendly, having zero ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) and minimal GWP (Global Warming Potential).”  Since scientists have been able to develop a safe and stable way to use CO2 as a refrigerant, we now have a GREEN option to replace R22 which is being phased out worldwide, due to its production of Greenhouse gases. The use of CO2 as a refrigerant dates back more than a hundred years; however, it fell out of favor in the air conditioning and … [Read more...]

Chicago Earth Day Green Event with @MafiaHairdreser

April 13, 2011 by 1 Comment
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Earth Week is fast approaching and Northeast Cooling would like to invite you to a very special Earth Week event taking place on Monday, April 18th 2011 from 5:45 to 8:00 pm.   Please join us for @MafiaHairdreser’s GREEN CHICAGO Earthday Celebration at Joseph Michael’s Salon and Spa in Chicago. This event brings “Social Media Royalty” together with a variety Chicagoland Green Groups.   Mingle, mix, and share your interests and skills!   Tickets are $10 and include food, beverages , and a secret recipe “Mafia-Mojito” concocted by jon-david, @MafiaHairdresser himself! The evening will also include a screening of Meet the Gulf, by Pepsi Refresh Challenge winner, Alicia Ontiveros. The film is her documentary showcasing the everyday challenges faced by those affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As a special treat, jon-david will be launching, and signing, his brand new book, Mafia Hairdresser. You may pre-purchase your book and … [Read more...]

Einstein Takes Refrigeration Green

April 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Would you believe that in 1930 Albert Einstein invented, and patented, a refrigeration system that uses ammonia, butane, and water instead of environmentally damaging Freon gases? This invention uses no electricity, has no moving parts, and could reduce greenhouse gases if replicated today! IS THIS TRUE? It seems many people are not even aware that Einstein, along with his colleague, Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard, developed this practical refrigerator in 1930. The invention was in direct response to a 1926 incident involving a family in Berlin that had been killed by poisonous gases leaking from a refrigerator. Einstein and Szilard were then inspired to invent a safer alternative to current refrigeration systems.  Their ultimate goal was to invent a refrigerator that required no electricity and no moving parts. They believed this would alleviate the chance of seals leaking and gas escaping, thereby providing a safer in home refrigeration unit. In 1930, they were successful in … [Read more...]

Commercial Refrigeration Going “Green” – R744 & Retrofit Viable Options Over R22

March 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Refrigeration Goes Green Even in the recesses of your local grocery store or corner pub, the initiative to provide cleaner air and a more stable environment is alive and well. We don’t often think about grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and other businesses as being Green, but in reality these types of businesses are being charged by The Montreal Protocol to clean up their act completely by 2030. Commercial refrigeration currently relies heavily on R22 as a refrigerant; however, this kind of refrigerant is known to deplete the ozone layer. With the worldwide phase-out of ozone depleting HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) including R-22, we need to start thinking of other alternatives, especially Green alternatives. Under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. agreed to meet certain obligations by specific dates: January 1, 2004: U.S. is required to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 35% below U.S. baseline cap. January 1, 2010: U.S. is required to reduce its … [Read more...]

Spring Cleaning for Commercial Refrigeration Equipment – Comprehensive Maintenance Checklist

March 25, 2011 by 3 Comments

Spring has Sprung! Thoughts turn to blue skies and flowers. (Shh! Yes, it is snowing right this very minute in Chicagoland!) Have you given thought to your commercial refrigeration needs? Probably not. When everything is chugging along in perfect working order, preventative maintenance often slips our minds. So, we’d like to give you a gentle reminder that preventative maintenance is always better than trying to find a cure for something that has already met its demise. The best way to stay on top of your preventative maintenance needs is to keep a to-do list. Sounds like one more thing to add to your already full schedule, but it can be very simple. No need to complicate things. All you need is a straightforward checklist with the following: Task Department Person Date Checked To make things easy for you, we've put together a list of items you should check on a regular basis. Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance Checklist Basic Refrigeration Maintenance Check … [Read more...]