A Brief History of Coca-Cola

This year marks the 125th anniversary of my beverage of choice – Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola was created in Atlanta, Georgia, by pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton on May 8th, 1886 and in its first year only 9 glasses of the beverage were sold. Today, the Coca-Cola company sells 1.7 billion beverage servings per day on average, and its product portfolio has expanded to offer more than 3,500 beverage choices to consumers. One hundred and twenty-five years later, Coca-Cola is sold in more than two hundred countries worldwide – but that just scratches the surface of what the company is about. In addition to being the world’s number one beverage producer, Coca-Cola is leading the charge, around the world in sustainability; especially in the areas of waste reduction, renewable forms of energy and water conservation.

The Coca-Cola Company leads the charge in sustainable waste management and reduction throughout the world. In November of 2009 the Coca-Cola Company introduced the first generation PlantBottle™ packaging, the only fully recyclable PET bottle made with 30% plant-based material available today. In December of 2011, Coca-Cola announced that it was partnering to develop plastic bottles made entirely from plants. The company sees this move as the next step in achieving sustainable practices in both sourcing and packaging supply. In June of 2012, Coca-Cola announced the formation of the Plant PET Technology Collaborative with Ford Motor Company, Heinz Company, Nike, Inc. and Procter and Gamble a group that will focus on the development and rapid implementation of a packaging made entirely of plants. Coca-Cola’s innovations are leading to change in multiple industries.

Energy conservation is another area where Coca-Cola Company has focused much of its efforts. In September of 2011, Coca-Cola Company announced that it is leading the charge to greener fleets by adding six eStar™ all-electric, zero-emission trucks to its fleet. “The eStar vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 10 tons annually.” “Currently, Coca-Cola has the largest heavy-duty hybrid electric fleet in North America with more than 650 hybrid delivery trucks deployed in major U.S. cities”. (Coca-Cola® Leads the Charge Toward Greener Fleets, 2011) In August of 2012, Coca-Cola Company earned the number three spot on the EPA’s list of the largest on-site green power generators. In addition to greening up the company’s own energy use, the company has reached out to Japan and installed 50 energy efficient solar panels in schools in an effort to reduce the potential for electric power disruptions. In August of 2012, Coca-Cola Company earned the number three spot on the EPA’s list of the largest on-site green power generators.

Coca-Cola Company is also committed to sustainable water. In April of 2012, Coca-Cola Company donated 1,000 syrup drums for reuse as rain barrels to communities across the United States. In June of 2012, Coca-Cola Company dedicated 3.5 million dollars in support of clean water and sanitation in African countries. In July of 2012, Coca-Cola Company won the IWA award for a new innovative beverage process water recovery system that can reduce operational water needs and improve water use efficiency by up to 35%.

Coca-Cola Company’s list of sustainable efforts is a mile long, especially in the areas of waste reduction, renewable forms of energy and water conservation. The company seems to be leading the charge of not just the beverage industry but industry in general towards sustainable efforts. I applaud this company and am so happy to know that the money I spend purchasing their product is being put to good use all over the world.

Bibliography

The Coca-Cola Company. (2006-2012). Retrieved Aug 9, 2012, from Coca-Cola: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/index.html PlantBottle™ Launch. (2009, Nov 16). Retrieved Aug 10, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2009/11/plantbottle.html Coca-Cola® Leads the Charge Toward Greener Fleets. (2011, Sep 8). Retrieved Aug 11, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2011/09/leading-the-charge-toward-greener-fleets.html The Coca-Cola Company Announces Partnerships to Develop Commercial Solutions for Plastic Bottles Made Entirely From Plants. (2011, Dec 15). Retrieved Aug 10, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2011/12/plantbottle-partnerships.html Coca-Cola Drums Up Water Stewardship Awareness for Earth Day. (2012, Apr 18). Retrieved Aug 11, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2012/04/water-stewardship-awareness-for-earth-day.html Coca-Cola Leads Summer Energy Saving Efforts Supporting Reconstruction in Japan. (2012, Mar 30). Retrieved Aug 11, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: 2012 Coca-Cola Pilots Innovative Water Recovery System and Wins IWA Award. (2012, Jul 9). Retrieved Aug 11, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2012/07/innovative-water-recovery-system-wins-award.html Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, H.J. Heinz Company, NIKE, Inc. and Procter & Gamble today announced the formation of the Plant PET Technology Collaborative (PTC). (2012, Jun 5). Retrieved Aug 10, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2012/06/pet-collaborative.html EPA Recognizes Coca-Cola Refreshments Among Nation’s Top Green Energy Users. (2012, Aug 2). Retrieved Aug 11, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2012/08/epa.html The Coca-Cola Company Commits $3.5 Million to U.S. Water Partnership. (2012, Jun 21). Retrieved Aug 11, 2012, from The Coca-Cola Company: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2012/06/35-million-for-us-water-partnership.html