Atlantic City, New Jersey, is the destination for millions of visitors each year. People are drawn from nearby cities and from faraway countries to Atlantic City’s beaches, casinos, and entertainment. The resort community’s motto is “always turned on,” but that doesn’t mean Atlantic City isn’t committed to saving energy.
On March 28, Project Porchlight’s Atlantic City Distribution was a brilliant success: Despite wet, chilly weather, more than 40 volunteers turned out to distribute a total of 1,934 energy-saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in all six wards of the city!
The CFL bulb distribution was part of Project Porchlight New Jersey’s campaign to distribute one million free energy-efficient light bulbs to residents across the state. Project Porchlight is an initiative of One Change [1], and the campaign is made possible thanks to funding by the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) [2] and New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) [3].
“The bulb distribution was wonderful! It felt so good to be a part of it,” says volunteer Tammy White. “I think Project Porchlight is just wonderful. It helps us as residents become aware of the CFL bulbs’ energy savings, which a lot of us didn’t know about. I have nieces and nephews. I want them to be aware also, to know that every little bit of energy that we save adds up for the environment, and that’s very, very good.”
The Atlantic City distribution would not have been so successful if it weren’t for the support of Atlantic City’s new Business Administrator, Michael A. Scott. (At the time of the bulb distribution, Michael served as the city’s Director of Public Works; he has since been promoted. Congratulations, Michael!)
The volunteers gathered at the historic All-Wars Memorial Building, and city vehicles ferried them to various neighborhoods across the city. “We really had a large response,” says Michael. “The Mayor (Lorenzo T. Langford, pictured here) came. Individuals from all six wards participated, and we had all kinds of organizations, including a basketball team and a drum and bugle corps. We all had a lot of fun. The day was something we all enjoyed, and it was a worthwhile effort because we’re trying to make everyone aware of the need to conserve energy.”
“I think Project Porchlight is right on target, and the awareness it creates lends itself to increased community involvement,” adds Michael. “That is important because we, as part of the community of the world, have not taken seriously the charge of being responsible for our resources. Our resources are depleting, and not only are they depleting, the way that we utilize them is harming earth itself. So as a world community, we have the responsibility of attempting to protect the future of our children and the earth itself.”
When it comes to protecting our environment, simple actions really do matter. Even something as simple as changing a light bulb is important. “Simple actions matter because that is where it starts,” says Michael. “When you start off, you might only have a small seed, but then it begins to grow. That’s the thing with Project Porchlight. What Project Porchlight is doing is planting a seed that has the potential to grow in the consciousness of everyone.”