In 2014, we replaced all the original, outdated fixtures in our shop with modern, low energy fixtures and fluorescent tubes. That was a major change, and incorporated work on the ceiling to help insulate our space. In 2020, we started a campaign to convert those fixtures to use LEDs instead of fluorescents. We just finished that campaign at the end of 2021, and we were left with hundreds of fluorescent tubes. The question was, what do we do with them?
We were fortunate enough to find a local recycling facility that would take the tubes for a small fee.
This was a lot of work, and you might be wondering, “Why would we do all this?” An obvious answer is— fewer replacements. LEDs have a higher lifespan, and need replaced far less often than traditional fluorescent lights.
ISO 14001
Another reason is to stay on the path that we’ve set for ourselves with ISO 14001. ISO 14001 is a way to keep carbon footprint reduction in the forefront of our corporate awareness. We should always be looking for ways to reduce the amount of carbon we use, reuse equipment before we get rid of it, and use less energy. This project ticks all those boxes. So it was an easy decision to move forward. Especially since we were able to recycle the old fluorescent tubes.
For Automation
Please visit olstrad.com to learn more about our automation processes!
Categories: 
