OASIS® International’s Green Crusade
July 24, 2018—Are the water coolers, bottle coolers, and bottle fillers your organization uses green? Really, truly green? Most companies can boast a reduction in the cost and waste associated with disposable water choices and can also claim recycling practices where plastic and glass remain essential. These are certainly steps in the right direction. But it only scratches the surface of what a truly green integrated water system can be.
What if a company had green practices in mind when it built the unit itself? And holistically assimilated eco-friendly initiatives into all its facets? At OASIS® International, we didn’t just hop on the green bandwagon. We’ve been leaders in environmentally responsible practices since our start more than 100 years ago, when we introduced the first energy-saving, non-refrigerated water fountain.
That leadership carries through to today, with thoughtful, eco-conscious design in our units, filters, and cooling systems to minimize environmental impact.
We build our Versacooler® II bottle fillers with 42 percent less steel than competing units. This means less resources used and less energy required for manufacture of raw materials. Using less steel has the added advantage of making the units 20 to 30 percent lighter for easier installation.
We manufacture our plastic components with FRESHIELD®, our exclusive silver-based antimicrobial compound. It reduces the growth of microorganisms and mildew to protect the surfaces from discoloration, odors, and degradation, so they last longer.
Our OASIS® Green Filter system with patented technology is almost entirely reusable, which reduces filter waste. Only the inner biodegradable filter media needs to be discarded. All the other parts can be used over and over again. Meanwhile, six million traditional filters are thrown away each year, resulting in over 1,000 tons of non-biodegradable plastic being sent to landfills. As an added benefit, Green Filters are also less expensive to replace.
Our commitment to sustainability even extends to how our units chill water. OASIS uses hydrocarbon refrigerant R600A outside the U.S., which replaced R134a in a number of our most popular products. R600A helps reduce greenhouse gases. In addition, independent testing indicates that 25 percent less electrical power is consumed with the use of R600 refrigerant than with R134a.
Thermoelectric cooling (TEC) is another green alternative to a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant. TEC uses a solid-state device that acts as a heat pump to move heat from one side of the device to the other. Rather than using a refrigerant gas and a compressor, TECs use only DC power and have no moving parts or complex assemblies. TECs are also very small, lightweight, and rugged compared to traditional compressor refrigeration systems.
Each of these green initiatives builds upon the others to create drinking water you can feel good about. We’re always looking to expand our green initiatives with people and projects that improve the availability of clean, safe drinking water.
About OASIS International
Since 1910, OASIS International has focused on bringing refreshing water to the world. Since inventing the modern-day drinking fountain, the company has become the global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of clean drinking water systems. The company’s offering includes bottle fillers, water coolers, bottleless coolers, under-counter chillers, dehumidifiers, and countless environmentally friendly products. With an ongoing commitment to green thinking, OASIS sets out to change the world, one sip at a time. For more information, contact OASIS International at 222 East Campus View Blvd., Columbus, OH 43235. Toll free: 800-646-2747. Fax: 614-322-4557. On the Web: www.OASIScoolers.com.
