The Hanover Township [1] Parks & Recreation Department’s free summer concerts at Bea Meadow Park in Hanover, New Jersey, are a wonderful way to spend an evening, listening to music while surrounded by a truly beautiful setting that features a nearby pond and a spectacular tree line. On July 12, more than 500 area residents relaxed in the park and enjoyed a Motown revue performed by Smooth.

What made the evening even better? Project Porchlight was on hand to educate concertgoers about the energy savings offered by compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs as well as the energy efficiency programs that are available through New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) [2].

A total of 261 CFL bulbs were distributed that evening, 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 [3], and the campaign is made possible thanks to funding by the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) [4] and NJCEP [5].

John Ferramosca, a member of both the Hanover Township Committee and its Environmental Commission [6], was thrilled to have Project Porchlight in attendance. “Project Porchlight is a terrific idea,” he says. “It is a very good cause, and it’s a smart cause, because it helps the environment and provides people with an opportunity to save money, along with the added convenience of not having to replace those incandescent bulbs so often.”

When it comes to protecting our environment, simple actions matter. Even something as simple as changing a light bulb can have an impact. By connecting with state residents one at a time, Project Porchlight is empowering people of all backgrounds to make smart, energy-efficient choices that protect the environment.
“Project Porchlight is giving people an opportunity to do something in their own homes to make a difference in this whole great environmental initiative that we have going on,” says John.