Press Releases

Honors 14 Stellar Volunteers for Their Contributions to Spreading Energy Efficiency Message

Project Porchlight New Jersey, an award-winning energy-efficiency initiative brought to you by New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program ™ and New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration to honor the outstanding contributions of New Jersey volunteers who went above and beyond the call of action and became a light in their communities. Held at the charming Rat’s Restaurant in Hamilton, NJ, the reception also recognized the tremendous contributions of the 2,600 volunteers who helped Project Porchlight spread its energy efficiency message across New Jersey and created a movement of change among residents to take simple actions to save energy and save the environment.

Fourteen volunteers were honored with Stellar Volunteer Awards for their extraordinary contributions to the campaign. Campaign volunteers are an integral part of Project Porchlight’s success. All of Project Porchlight's volunteers work hard, but the stellar recipients made extraordinary contributions to their communities by distributing CFL bulbs and educating their neighbors about making smarter energy efficiency choices.

The program also featured guest speaker Commissioner Joseph L. Fiordaliso of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, who announced that bulb distribution by Project Porchlight New Jersey helped reduce 295 million pounds of CO2 emissions in the state, which is equivalent to taking more than 55,000 cars off of New Jersey roads. One Change Founder and President Stuart Hickox also spoke during the award’s presentation, praising the tremendous success of the New Jersey campaign. Mr. Hickox commended the volunteers' passion and dedication to this important cause, and described how the success of Project Porchlight’s New Jersey campaign has directly influenced new campaigns in other states across the country. During the reception, invited guests were treated to a complimentary tour of the beautiful Grounds for Sculpture; they also enjoyed culinary delights from the Rat’s Restaurant and the funky sounds of the Full Circle Band.

“For the past three years, Project Porchlight has grown from a pilot program to one of the most successful cause-related initiatives in New Jersey. Our efforts would not have been possible without the work of our volunteers. Through sunshine, rain, sleet, and snow, they delivered our energy efficiency message and empowered residents to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle,” says Campaign Manager Sheila Foreman. “We are looking forward to continuing our effort to be a catalyst for change in the state and provide opportunities for new and current volunteers to become involved in the movement for change.”

Since launching the initiative in 2008, Project Porchlight has distributed a total of 1,360,042 CFL bulbs to more than 360 New Jersey communities, worked with more than 300 community groups, successfully marketed NJCEP’s COOLAdvantage promotion reaching 6,030 homes, and informed thousands about NJCEP energy saving programs and rebates.

About Project Porchlight New Jersey
Project Porchlight is an award-winning energy-efficiency initiative of One Change, brought to you by New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program ™ (NJCEP) and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) as part of the Green New Jersey Resource Team. The Green New Jersey Resource Team is a new initiative that will provide resources to communities across New Jersey to distribute ENERGY STAR-qualified compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs and educate residents about how to save energy and money and help protect the environment with energy-efficient lighting. The Project Porchlight campaign brings together volunteers from local businesses, community groups, and the government to deliver energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs across the state. Energy-saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, last up to 5 to 7 years longer, and can help residents save approximately $30 or more in energy costs over the life of each bulb.

Information about proper disposal of compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs can be found at www.earth911.org. For more information about New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program ™ (NJCEP), please visit www.NJCleanEnergy.com.

For more information, contact:
Kahdijah Bell – Communications Coordinator
Phone: 973-226-5020 x 15
Email: Kahdijah.bell (at) porchlight.org