You know how hard it is to deal with onions in your own kitchen. Just imagine what it's like to work in a 17,000-square-foot warehouse full of them. It's all in a day's work for employees at Green Valley Onion's New Hampton, N.Y., storage facility, where onions of all types are cleaned, sized, and packaged for distribution throughout the East Coast and the Midwest.

To cut heating and cooling costs, Green Valley Onion installed several ceiling fans manufactured by Big Ass Fans a while back. In the first month alone, the facility's electric bill dropped by $400, and the savings continue to mount.

But the fans have brought another unexpected benefit. Good air circulation is essential to preventing sprouting and decay, which would make the onions unfit for sale. Thanks to the fans, air circulation in the facility improved so much that Green Valley's produce remains fresher year-round. The result: less waste and higher profits.