For many years, “Going Green” was the domain of idealistic environmentalists who championed the cause of preserving our planet as a primary goal. The business sector was too preoccupied with generating profit to be concerned with such matters. Gradually, however, the idea caught on. With the passage of time, the realization set in that the human population’s demands on the ecosystem were simply not sustainable. No question about it: the tide has turned. People who once dismissed environmental concerns as being counterproductive to economic growth now recognize that productivity and environmental responsibility are not only compatible, they complement one another.

One such visionary individual is Mr. Abe Belsky, President of Prince Seating, a New York based chair manufacturer and wholesaler. Abe, together with partner Henry Bodner, are definitely from the old school of thought. “When I was growing up in New York, ecology wasn’t really on the scale of values, and the term “carbon footprint” hadn’t
even been coined yet,” says Abe. Intelligent and soft-spoken, Abe acknowledges that the prevalent mindset of those years was predicated on misinformation. “Truthfully, when I first heard about going green, I was skeptical. But the more I researched the topic the more I became convinced that it was the responsible thing to do.” And so, Prince Seating recently upgraded the lighting system in their Brooklyn warehouse to high-efficiency fluorescent lighting, replacing old T12 fixtures to updated T8 lamps and ballasts. GreenLight Energy Conservation, a national firm specializing in energy-efficient lighting solutions, helped Prince Seating identify and install the ideal
system to suit their needs. The results have been – well, illuminating.

As Mr. Bodner explains “Our decision was strongly influenced by environmental concerns. However, our bottom line counts too. Our new lighting will pay for itself in a short time. Energy bills are now much lower, and we qualified for government incentive and rebates as well. On top of that, our warehouse is considerably well-lit than it was
before.”

So how does redoing lighting affect the ecosystem? It’s all about fuel consumption and the emission of greenhouses gases. Electricity is produced, for the most part, by the combustion of fuels, primarily coal. The more coal that is burned, the more greenhouse gases – such as carbon dioxide – are released into the atmosphere. Energy efficient lighting uses significantly less electricity, which equals less fuel burned, and less
greenhouse gases.

Just how much of an impact does upgraded lighting have? Consider this assessment of Energy Star, an EPA program: If each US home would replace just one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, the reduction in green house gas emissions would be equivalent to that of 800,000 cars! Moreover, the electricity saved would be enough to light 3.1 million homes! Mr. Belsky points out another dividend of going green. “In today’s planet conscious environment, people are inclined to patronize us more, because of our green
polices.” With a twinkle in his eye, he adds, “Who would have imagined that we’d increase our sales – by changing a light bulb!