Green Light New Orleans has put into place the March on Climate Change, a program that is focused on installing energy-efficient light bulbs.

Green Light is an organization dedicated to increasing the use of sustainable, cheaper and cleaner energy in New Orleans.

The March on Climate Change will require over 800 volunteers with hopes to install 8,000 free energy-efficient light bulbs between Jan. 1 and March 31. The first 500 local volunteers that commit to at least two days of service with the March on Climate Change will receive a gift card.

By installing energy efficient light bulbs with the help of many volunteers, “Green Light New Orleans makes an impact on residents’ pocketbooks, addresses big issues like climate change and shines a light on New Orleans as a beacon for change,” Rachel Dorfman, Green Light’s Education Program coordinator, said.

The Loyola Community Action Program volunteered with Green Light’s sustainability project Spark 2012 as part of a service week for first-year students.

“Environmental action is not only a crucial and relevant issue to LUCAP, but also to the world as a whole,” Magin Maier, LUCAP’s public relations chairwoman, said.

LUCAP is not currently involved with the March on Climate Change but, “I think we would definitely be open to looking into the opportunity further,” Maier said.

The program “supports our diverse local economy, keeps tax dollars in our community and builds stronger more resilient neighborhoods, ” Dorfman said.

Dorfman believes that, as a coastal city, New Orleans is on the frontline in the fight against climate change.

Green Light New Orleans’ mission is to “reduce the carbon footprint of New Orleans by installing energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs for residents of Orleans Parish, free of charge,” LUCAP adviser Joe Deegan said.

Because young people are seen as a driving source for change, college students are a valuable asset to organizations such as Green Light New Orleans, Dorfman said.

“College campuses have historically been hotbeds for important social change, and college students have an incredible amount of power to change the course of history,” Dorfman said.

Jessica DeBold can be reached at [email protected]  

Kambui Jackson, music performance freshman, carries a box of energy efficient light bulbs during Spark week. LUCAP plans to work with Green Light New Orleans in the future. (COURTESY OF LOYOLA NEW ORLEANS)