Project Porchlight Blog

Temperatures that soared well into the 90s didn’t deter the intrepid volunteers who turned out for Project Porchlight’s Bloomfield Blitz on August 15 in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Despite the heat, 40 volunteers helped Project Porchlight deliver energy-saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to their neighbors. Several of the volunteers were so excited about the bulb distribution, that they continued to distribute additional CFL bulb in the days immediately following the Blitz. By the completion of the bulb distribution in Bloomfield, the number of bulbs distributed exceeded 1,600.

Way to go, Bloomfield!

The CFL bulb distribution was 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).

“The heat was brutal on the day of the Blitz, but even in the heat it was a good day,” says Leslie Valavanis (pictured far left), a Project Manager for the Greener Bloomfield Committee, which helped organize the Bloomfield Blitz. “Project Porchlight is doing an amazing job. It’s a great cause, and I was really impressed with the whole Project Porchlight team.”

Pat Gilleran, who serves alongside Leslie as a Project Manager for Greener Bloomfield, was thrilled to team up with Project Porchlight. “I think it’s a wonderful effort,” says Pat. “There will be an awful lot of energy saving done because of the bulbs that have been distributed.”

When it comes to protecting our environment, simple actions matter. Even something as simple as changing a light bulb can have a huge impact. “It’s important that we each do our part, and or at least try and contribute something, even if we think we’re not contributing much,” says Leslie. “If everybody does one little thing, no matter how seemingly insignificant they may perceive it—whether it’s changing a light bulb or recycling a water bottle—it all adds up. And it does have an impact.”

Pat points out that when people join together, they can accomplish so much. “By myself I can only make a small difference,” she explains. “By volunteering with Greener Bloomfield and teaming up with Project Porchlight, I can be part of something larger that will have a real impact.

“We are really psyched about this,” adds Pat. “We want Bloomfield to be known as Green Bloomfield.”