Project Porchlight Blog

Project Porchlight’s Vineland Blitz on July 25 in Vineland, New Jersey, was an excellent day. More than 20 volunteers turned out to help educate their neighbors on the energy savings offered by compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.

One of them was Vineland Mayor Bob Romano (pictured here), who walked door-to-door to deliver the news about energy savings. “I’m so pleased to have hosted Project Porchlight in Vineland. Going door-to-door giving energy-efficient light bulbs to Vineland residents was fantastic,” says Mayor Romano. “I encourage every city to volunteer their time in helping distribute CFL light bulbs to every resident. This initiative is good for the environment, and it will also help residents reduce their energy bills.”

A total of 594 CFL bulbs were distributed, part of Project Porchlight New Jersey’s campaign to distribute energy-efficient light bulbs to residents across the state. Project Porchlight is an initiative of One Change, and the campaign is made possible thanks to funding by the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP).

Lisa Lucena, Assistant Administrative Analyst/Media Relations for the Vineland Municipal Electric Utility, volunteered along with her entire family. “My three daughters are 15, 12 and seven years old,” says Lisa. “They helped me distribute the light bulbs, and it was a great experience for them. Everyone was very approachable, and they were respectful of what we were doing. My daughters were doing something for a great cause. They know how important it is to help the environment, not only for their future, but for their kids, too.”

When it comes to protecting our environment, simple actions matter. Even something as simple as changing a light bulb can make a huge difference. Mayor Romano says he has already switched all the lights in his own home to CFL bulbs. “The city has changed most of the bulbs in city hall over to energy-saving lighting,” he says. “We want to be in the forefront of energy savings.

“Our future is going to depend on what steps we’re taking now for our kids and our grandkids,” adds Mayor Romano. “Project Porchlight is a great concept to raise people’s awareness. I even like the way Project Porchlight’s CFL bulb container has so much information printed on the box.

“Project Porchlight is a great, great idea,” says Mayor Romano. “And walking around delivering bulbs to your neighbors is good exercise, too.”