Project Porchlight Blog

On Friday the 16th, Emma, Charlene, Janaki, T, Scott, and I escaped the virtual world of our computers and the concrete of the big city to enter into the real world of energy-efficient bulb distribution in Strathmore.

We broke up into teams of two and descended on various Strathmore neighbourhoods.

Janaki and T focused on a seniors housing complex and were warmly greeted. T found a new friend in the form of a Jack Russell, whose bark was worse than his bite!

Emma and Charlene got some bulbs out to residents of Hillview Estates, a new development under construction, where some residents anticipated them to ask for donations, but were surprised to find we were offering something for free - an energy-efficient light bulb that will provide them with energy savings for some time to come!

This was Charlene's first delivery experience. Charlene said she was encouraged by the great responses she and Emma received. Her most memorable moment was a resident who said he was waiting for the catch! No catch. Just a free bulb, to show how easy it is to save energy and help the environment.

Meanwhile over in Cambridge Glen, Scott and I found ourselves in a neighbourhood that seemed to have more dogs than people! I met a family with a beautiful black Labrador Retriever. Yet another home had two chocolate Labrador Retrievers. Can you tell I am partial to Lab?

We discovered that Strathmore has some energy conservation leaders. We found several households where the people indicated they've already changed all their old bulbs for energy-efficient CFLs. They wanted us to make sure the bulb we attempted to deliver got to a home where residents might come to know the energy-saving benefits of CFLs, which use 75% less electricity.