Standalone and self-contained cooling systems using compressed liquid and/or gas CO2 containers positioned in an insulated or non-insulated vessel encompassing a container which is either vertically positioned in an upright or an upside-down position.The liquid and/or gas CO2 coolant is then released into a capillary system or flow metering system to allow the CO2 to enter a second body to where the CO2 coolant properties may be leveraged. The second body includes, by way of example, a plate, a cushion, a spot treatment pad for a person's muscle, or a cooler.The temperature is controlled by a metering CO2 releasing system encompassing an electronic control device which sends alerts when pre-defined thresholds are exceeded.The invention's metering CO2 releasing system may be triggered by an electronic or a thermostatic valve or may be triggered manually or by an electronic solenoid.