Rathdrum, Idaho—Gary Lindgren, 65, was the founder of OZ Technology, Inc. and the man who provided the seed money to start The Idaho Observer in 1997. He died in a house fire late Sunday, September 20. Firefighters determined the cause to be an extension cord that was used as the main power source for his trailer home in Rathdrum, Idaho.
In response to the international ban of CFCs and the resultant Clean Air Act, in 1992 Gary Lindgen invented the answer to the world’s refrigeration dilemma. He also designed a CFC incinerator and an ingenius CFC/HC exchange program.
OZ Technology Inc. is the exclusive developer of environmentally safe refrigerants HC-12a and HC-22a that are 100% natural, non-toxic, Earth friendly and non-ozone depleting. Scientific analysis and field experience proved that Lindgren’s hydrocarbon refrigerants are compatible replacements for toxic, “ozone-depleting” refrigerants. They extended the life of system components, and even reduced power bills by 30-50 percent when properly applied. OZ Technology holds patents in the Untied States, the U.K., Mexico and Hong Kong.
This potentially $multi-billion enterprise was forced to spend over $3 million in perpetual litigation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since its inception. Despite the incredible asset of such an enterprise to the economy of Idaho, several appeals to then Senator Larry Craig and Representative Helen Chenoweth were futile, proving they were either unwilling or unable to stop the EPA from enforcing policies that were poisoning the public in favor of Dupont’s toxic HFC-134a refrigerant.
In a blatant attempt to shut down OZ Technology, the EPA funneled false information regarding Lindgren’s hydrocarbon refrigerants to National Public Radio and other mainstream media outlets. In order for the truth to be told, Gary Lindgren contacted The Oregon Observer and met with Ed Snook and Don Harkins in 1996 to discuss the initial funding of an alternative newspaper in Idaho. In January 1997, Don Harkins published the first edition of The Idaho Observer. For more information on OZ Technology and hydrocarbon refrigerants, go to www.oztechnologyinc.com or do a search on The Idaho Observer website for Don Harkin’s excellent articles documenting the persecution of OZ Technology by our own government.