Project Porchlight handing out 16,358 bulbs

BY BILL BRADLEY

It is not often you can get something for free.

But Greater Sudbury residents can receive a free compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) thanks to an Ottawa based non-profit organization, One Change, with their province wide campaign called Project Porchlight and local volunteers.

Approximately 16,358 will be given out in the next week door to door, at sports and cultural events and by partner organizations with the city’s EarthCare Sudbury Initiatives, said Barb McDougall-Murdoch, co-ordinator of EarthCare Sudbury Initiatives.

EarthCare staff have assisted the Ottawa group in their giveaway plans. The bulk of the bulbs arrived Wednesday, said McDougall-Murdoch.

Last Friday 1,000 bulbs were given out by municipal and federal politicians-Ward 1 Councillor Joe Cimino, Ward 5 Councillor Ron Dupuis and Sudbury MP Diane Marleau.

“People were really receptive. We gave them all out in record time,” said Cimino.

The project is an effort to spark energy conservation amongst the public, said One Change organizer Natalie Snajdr. She is formerly from New Sudbury.

“We advocate community engagement and environmental sustainability by making seemingly small changes,” she said.
The campaign promotes a practical and realistic way to use less electricity. Volunteers and staff hand out, door to door and through community events, energy efficient bulbs.

“Save money and protect the environment with simple actions like changing a light bulb. Each CFL saves users $50 over its 10 year lifespan. The small change of switching to energy-efficient light bulbs can represent the first step in a lifetime of making energy conscious choices,” she said.

Small changes can yield big results.

Replacing even one 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 15-watt CFL in each of Canada’s 12 million households could save up to $73 million a year in energy costs. It would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 397,000 tonnes-the equivalent of taking more than 66,000 cars off the road each year.

So far Project Porchlight has distributed 250,000 bulbs in Ottawa, registered and trained 500 volunteers and delivered 10,000 bulbs each to Guelph, Thunder Bay and Whitehorse.

“We are here in Greater Sudbury until Dec. 22 and are asking local residents to volunteer to help out by phoning 1-866-585-6359.”

For more information, visit www.onechange.org