SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Yesterday was Energy Star’s Seventh Annual Change a Light Day. It was the day Saint Charles-based Pineapple Hospitality saluted its clients who already have replaced 75,000 incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents this year. “In just the first nine months of 2006, our lodging lighting retrofits have saved a combined 6.8 million kilowatt hours, which is the equivalent of planting 1,332 acres of forest and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 10 million pounds,” says Ray Burger, president of Saint Charles, Mo.-based Pineapple Hospitality. “These green retrofits, which literally are as simple as changing out a few...

DANVERS, MASS.—Sylvania announced the largest pledge commitment to date for the Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World campaign, which encourages Americans to change one lightbulb to an Energy Star compact fluorescent bulb, helping preserve energy resources and the environment. As part of the national program, which kicked off Wednesday, Sylvania has committed to collect 100,000 Change a Light pledges on its website, www.sylvania.com. This is the company’s largest commitment ever to the energy saving campaign. “The pledges Sylvania collects as part of the Change a Light campaign can lead to greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to...

Of all the measures one can take to reduce energy costs, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs) is certainly one of the easiest. Available for years now, they use two-thirds to three-quarters less energy than incandescent bulbs but last thousands of hours longer. Even with an initial higher cost, CFLs can easily put more money in your pocket in a short period of time. In public areas where lights are on 24 hours a day, savings can be significant, especially in terms of maintenance. Wednesday, October 4 is Energy Star Change a Light Day. If your...

CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE—The Inn By The Sea, here in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is not a bad place to stay, especially if you happen to be a bird or a bug—the good kind, that is. The luxury property, which includes 43 suites and cottages, is two-thirds surrounded by a state park and is adjacent to a bird sanctuary. Management at the Inn By The Sea takes its responsibility to maintain its surroundings seriously. Over the years, the need for chemicals has been reduced by replacing exotic plants with indigenous species that not only create a pleasing landscape for guests, but also...

DENVER—National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has received the National Park Service (NPS) 2006 Environmental Achievement Award for its performance at the Zion Lodge in Zion National Park. The NPS Environmental Achievement Award recognizes superior accomplishments in environmental stewardship. Zion Lodge also received the award in 2004. Xanterra also has received National Park Service Environmental Achievement Awards for environmental stewardship at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The 2006 award was presented by Fran Mainella, director of the National Park Service. “Xanterra at Zion...

ALSIP, ILL.—Litetronics International Inc. announces an innovation in cold cathode fluorescent technology. All Litetronics Micro-Brite decorative 3- and 4-watt candelabra base lamps are now dimmable. Litetronics has successfully miniaturized its patented cold cathode technology to bring candelabra-based Micro-Brite into the dimming family. Now it is possible to have the decorative look of candelabra lighting, the long life and energy savings of fluorescent lamps, and the ability to adjust the light level for any situation. The 3- and 4-watt Micro-Brite candelabra base lamps have a 25,000-hour life and offer more than 80 percent in energy savings over incandescent lighting....

BROADVIEW, ILL.—Air Cycle Corp. introduces its EasyPak line of products to provide a simple way to recycle lamps, ballasts, and batteries, while complying with today’s changing regulations. Each container includes instructions printed in English and Spanish and one price includes shipping costs to the recycling center, recycling fees, and a certificate of recycling. The lamp boxes can hold straight fluorescent lamps up to 8 feet in length, u-shape fluorescent lamps, or high intensity discharge lamps. The battery container holds up to 55 pounds of dry cell batteries and the ballast container up to 55 pounds of non-PCB containing...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—The General Electric Company (GE), through its Consumer & Industrial business, and the Nichia Corp. announced a strategic alliance agreement to support GELcore, LLC, based in Cleveland, Ohio. GELcore, formed in 1999, was previously a joint venture between GE and the Emcore Corp. of Somerset, N.J. GE purchased Emcore’s 49 percent interest in the joint venture for $100 million, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to invest in LED technology and the future of lighting. This agreement combines GELcore’s LED system strengths in the Transportation, Signage, Specialty Illumination, and General Illumination segments with Nichia’s extensive phosphor and optoelectronics products,...

NATIONAL REPORT—The next time you think about throwing away a fluorescent lamp, think twice. Fluorescents contain a small amount of hazardous material—mercury. In fact, it is the mercury that conducts the charge that produces light. When disposed of improperly, the mercury can cause great harm to not only the environment, but to every link in the food chain—humans included. As of November 2004, according to a report released by the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers, 70 percent of the mercury lamps used by businesses were not being recycled. Throughout the United States, regulations vary on proper disposal of fluorescent...

RIVERSIDE, N.J.—Sea Gull Lighting Products LLC, a leading manufacturer of Energy Star qualified lighting fixtures, has released a 90-page, full-color catalog highlighting the company’s line of energy-efficient lighting products. A two-time Energy Star Partner of the Year award winner, Sea Gull Lighting currently markets more than 500 decorative products bearing the Energy Star mark—the most, the company says, of any manufacturer in the lighting industry. The Energy Star mark also ensures that these fixtures have met the strict energy efficiency guidelines and passed the rigorous testing requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department...