Lighting Inc. Helps Trucking Firm Go Green

By Dan Bewley, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A Tulsa trucking company says going green is helping it save thousands of dollars in energy costs. Melton Truck Lines recently underwent an energy makeover, replacing every light bulb in its east Tulsa facility.

Mitchell Blessing is with Lighting Inc., a Tulsa company that specializes in re-designing the way businesses use light bulbs. At Melton Truck Lines, a total of 540 fixtures were replaced and two-thousand light bulbs installed.

"These were eight-foot strips before we started," said Mitchell Blessing of Lighting Inc. "We come in and convert them to four four-foot light bulbs; the energy gets cut in half." 

Six months ago Melton Truck Lines was looking for ways to save money and help the environment.

"Right now business is a little tough so every little savings we can get helps quite a bit," said Jeff Robinson of Melton Truck Lines.

"They were currently using a high-bay, a 400-watt metal high-bay, and we came in and put a T-5 fixture in," said Mitchell Blessing. The new fixture has made a big difference in the repair shop, reducing the amount of energy used by 52 percent. Blessing also says its displays more light and less heat than the old lights.

But the key, he says, is in the savings: the lights in this building will pay for themselves by the end of the year. In a conventional office building the lights are paid off in two years.

"If you're going to try to go green and make your buildings green this will put money back in your pocket," said Blessing.

Jeff Robinson agrees and encourages other businesses to look above to save on the bottom line.

"Well they need to look at it very closely because it's definitely worth the investment," said Jeff Robinson of Melton Truck Lines. "There is some up front and there is some inconvenience of changing all the lights out, but in the long run it's definitely going to be a pay back."

Blessing says there are other incentives to going green by changing your lightbulbs, including a federal tax write-off and rebates from your utility company.

Find out more ways to Go Green.