A Home Furnishings Store Finds New Way To Help Environment

Candace Braun

White Lotus, a Princeton home furnishings store, recently took a step toward improving the environment by signing up for 100 percent New Jersey wind power with Community Energy, Inc. (CEI). It is the first small business in the state to join in the environmentally-friendly New Jersey Clean Power Choice program.

Sponsored by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the statewide initiative allows residential and commercial electric customers to choose clean power generation through wind or solar energy, with the additional cost necessary to support it.

Recently celebrating its 25th anniversary, White Lotus has prided itself over the years on reducing air, water, and land pollution by handcrafting natural fiber mattresses, pillows, and accessories without the use of toxic chemicals, according to owner Theodore Casparian.

"Since 1981, it has been a primary focus of White Lotus to lessen our impact on the earth with everything that we do," he said. "Energy produces pollution. And everyone uses energy every day," he added, noting that his company has always looked for ways to produce quality products using the least amount of energy.

With stores in both Princeton and New Brunswick, White Lotus became involved in the energy program after being approached by CEI, according to Mr. Casparian. The store's local reputation as a model for helping save and preserve the environment made the business a likely candidate, he said.

Boasting the ability to be able to create a mattress just by putting a futon-crafter in a room with a natural fabric mattress case, a bale of cotton, a needle, and some thread, White Lotus is known for making all of its mattresses entirely by hand in its New Brunswick location. Using natural fibers such as cotton without the aid of large machines is much better for the the environment and puts out a lot less pollution than mattress factories, said Mr. Casparian.

"Anybody, no matter what they do....can find a more environmentally friendly way to do things," he said, noting that steel springs are one part of the mattress that has been marketed so that consumers believe it is better for sleeping, but in actuality is very harmful to nature.

"Cotton cradles you. People wear cotton for a reason," said Mr. Casparian, noting that he believes that cotton mattresses are actually more comfortable, supportive, and luxurious than those made out of synthetic fibers in factories, where chemicals often seep into the mattress's fabric.

"We are proud to be New Jersey Wind customers and hope that all businesses big and small will follow our lead and make the choice for New Jersey clean power," said Mr. Casparian.

Businesses and residents now have the opportunity to join White Lotus and purchase New Jersey Wind energy generated by the state's first wind farm now under construction in Atlantic City. Located at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority wastewater treatment plant, the Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm will come online this month.

On Wednesday, November 2, and Saturday, November 12, Community Energy, Inc., will have an information table set up outside the White Lotus Home Store at 202 Nassau Street, to encourage other local businesses to become more energy efficient. For more information, call (484) 744-1782.