by Laurence Mark J. Mansayon
I learned a new word some time ago—“ubiquitous” (it means seemingly everywhere)—and I know how to use it, too: “They’re ubiquitous.” Yes, I know. At best it is a very corny example (dubious at worst), but hang on for a while and allow me to redeem myself by providing the context.
When I gave you that example I was thinking of a steadily growing global movement of conservationists consisting of various autonomous organizations. Although the foci of these individual groups vary, their collective message may be summarized in three words: “Save Mother Earth!” Among many others, one of their most important advocacies has to do with the conservation of planetary resources—particularly, energy. And since energy is consumed everyday globally, their voice is also heard globally. And so, they are indeed ubiquitous.
ENERGY CONSERVATION IN AMERICA
Being the global leader in numerous world issues, the United States of America evidently does not shy from this responsibility. The US Department of Energy’s mission statement has five main thrusts, the first being “Energy Security”. Under this heading the DOE seeks to promote “America’s energy security through reliable, clean, and affordable energy” . I like what they are trying to accomplish. Not only is it Earth-friendly, it makes a lot of sense, too! Now, since we are having this discussion, allow me to segue into my favorite energy conservation subtopic…
Energy-Efficiency
Wikipedia defines the term as “using less energy to provide the same level of energy service. ” This definition perfectly captures the main essence of energy-efficiency. Cars able to run the same number of miles with less fuel are called “fuel-efficient”; consumer products available at the same quantity and quality for lesser prices are said to be “cost-efficient”; and employees who produce the same quantity and quality of work in less time are branded as “time-efficient”. The common factor in all three examples is the idea of having “the same for less”. In the current state of the world’s economy—or any economic state for that matter—do you know of anyone who would not want a piece of this deal?
If the principle of “the same for less” is true for cars, consumer products, and work output, it certainly is true for others also. We live in a time when more and more people are becoming aware that our planet’s natural resources are steadily getting depleted. With the sheer number of “Earth advocates” out there, it is almost inexcusable to not know that we need to conserve energy. One crucial area we can definitely develop a strong sense of energy-efficiency is in lighting.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
The invention and development of the incandescent lightbulb started a revolution in the lighting industry as for the first time ever lighting can be sufficiently controlled. However, as great a milestone as it represents, the fact remains that only roughly 10 percent of the energy used by incandescent lightbulbs produce light; the other 90 percent is wasted through heat emission. As far as I am concerned, this is the epitome of energy-inefficiency in lighting. We are fortunate to live in a time when an alternative exists that leads us in the exact opposite direction—fluorescent lighting.
Consider the following comparative table:
WATTAGE FOR ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF LIGHT
Fluorescent/ Incandescent
13 watts / 60 watts
26 watts / 100 watts
32 watts / 150 watts
As you can determine, fluorescent lightbulbs can produce the same amount of light as the incandescent while consuming less energy. No wonder why the demand for fluorescent lighting has steadily been rising. This is, without a doubt, definitive of energy-efficiency in the lighting industry.
HELPING SAVE MOTHER EARTH
It gives me a satisfying sense of pride knowing that we in Yosemite Home Décor, through our lighting product line, are seriously into energy-efficiency. We have developed and promoted a section in our catalog, called the Green Living Collection, dedicated to fluorescent lighting fixtures (I will write about this in a future article). Back in September 2008 we applied for, and were granted, partnership with Energy Star, an ongoing project of the DOE that actively promotes energy-efficiency (this will be the topic of another future article). In March 2010, we were informed by ICF International, a professional service firm that works closely with the DOE, that three of our exterior sconces—-ES, FL5013BR-ES, and FL5315DBR-ES—have earned the Energy Star mark (another subject for yet another future article), in effect certifying that these are highly energy-efficient products. Evidently, we are making efforts to help save Mother Earth.
GOING GREEN
Obviously, as a business entity involved in the lighting industry, there still is a lot we can do to advocate energy-efficiency. What we have done so far is good, and what we have yet to accomplish will speak of our commitment. I am proud to be part of a team that is conscious of, and does something about, the need for efficient energy consumption. I am confident you see this need as clearly as we do, if not more. So let me end this article with an invitation: Let us all go green.
Central Distributing 
August 2-6, 2010 Summer 2010 Las Vegas Market
