The New York Public Library Seizes the Light ... Initiates Energy Savings with 'Green' Fluorescent Bulbs
102-Year Old Institution Reduces Carbon Footprint by 1.5 Million Pounds and Removes 1.4 Million Kilowatt Hours from Grid
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Commemorating its ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and conservation, The New York Public Library gathered today with lighting manufacturer TCP, Inc.; Consolidated Edison Company of New York (ConEd) and Quality Conservation Services (QCS) to celebrate the collaborative installation of more than 5,300 energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) throughout the historic Humanities and Social Sciences Library at 42nd Street. The switch from traditional incandescent bulbs reduces nearly 1.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide and removes more than 1.4 million kilowatt hours from the New York power grid annually.
Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library Heike Kordish, alongside Steve Mysholowsky, Manager with the Targeted Demand Side Management Program of ConEd; James Maitilasso, President of QCS; and Ellis Yan, President and CEO of TCP Inc., shared their hopes for increased environmental responsibility and action throughout New York as well as the entire country during the morning's event. The group closed the celebration by flipping the main switch together; activating the facility's 5,311 new CFLs.
"Today we are thrilled to begin a new era of energy efficient and attractive lighting at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library," said Heike Kordish, Director of The New York Public Library's Humanities and Social Sciences Library. "It was clear that for the benefit of the environment it was worth converting to lights that were more energy efficient, but it is also saving hundreds of man-hours per year in maintaining the lights. This project is just one of the Library's green initiatives. We feel that illumination of knowledge is our key mission, and we're pleased to be participating with ENERGY STAR's national "Change a Light, Change the World Day."
Added James P. Maitilasso, "Though certainly an immense undertaking, it is almost difficult to believe that something as simple as changing a light bulb can help save this planet."
"Today's event honors ENERGY STAR's national 'Change a Light, Change the World' Day," explains Ellis Yan, CEO of TCP. "If every person in America changed just one of the average 50 light bulbs per household to a CFL, it would save enough energy to power more than three million homes annually and remove the equivalent of 800,000 cars from the roads. For
those that believe individual effort cannot make a difference, it's important to remember that collectively, we can make a positive impact."
TCP, Inc., headquartered in Aurora, Ohio, drives lighting innovation for commercial, industrial and residential applications. As the leader in energy efficient lighting, TCP manufactures one million compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) per day, offers one of the largest number of ENERGY STAR approved products and distributes them throughout North America and abroad. Although only a fraction the size of its competitors, TCP produces 70% of the CFLs on the U.S. market sold under a variety of name brand, private label and other lighting manufacturers (OLM). The company's extensive product line also includes cold cathode, linear and high bay systems, exit and emergency lighting, HID, energy efficient fixtures, and LED lighting products/solutions. For more information, visit us at www.tcpi.com or call (800) 324-1496.
The New York Public Library was created in 1895 with the consolidation of the private libraries of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox with the Samuel Jones Tilden Trust. The Library provides free and open access to its physical and electronic collections and information, as well as to its services. It comprises four research centers - the Humanities and Social Sciences Library; The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; and the Science, Industry and Business Library - and 87 Branch Libraries in Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Research and circulating collections combined total more than 50 million items. In addition, each year the Library presents thousands of exhibitions and public programs, which include classes in technology, literacy, and English as a second language. The New York Public Library serves over 16 million patrons who come through its doors annually and another 25 million users internationally, who access collections and services through its website, www.nypl.org .