Paresh Trivedi (pictured here, left) , a resident of Randolph, New Jersey, emigrated to the United States 17 years ago from Gujarat, India, in search of a better life. It is not extraordinary that Paresh has indeed found a better life–millions of immigrants have shared that experience. What’s remarkable about Paresh is how much he has, in turn, given back to his community here.
Among all the sad environmental and climate news there is always some uplifting news of an organization or individuals that are working hard to make a difference. People are taking action, and that matters, because everything people do for the environment helps. You are probably aware of many groups in the U.S. and internationally, such as Friends of the Earth, World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, 350.org, and 1Sky, just to name a few. They all have varying degrees of activity and things going on at any given time, but many of their actions involve raising awareness or civil disobedience, (which isn’t something many people are willing to do). An organization based in Canada recently contacted us, with a different philosophy of action and empowerment. They are called One Change and they have a proven record of changing awareness into action. Below is an introduction to their organization. They are based in Canada but they do things in the United States as well. A current campaign they are carrying out in New Jersey is Project Porchlight. The main website for One Change is here. “Simple Actions Matter”.
The highlight of this year’s Orange Jazz Festival on July 3 in downtown Orange, New Jersey, was a real crowd-pleaser: Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. got on stage to play saxophone with famed drummer Cecil Brooks and His All-Star Band. Their rendition of Grover Washington Jr.’s “Mister Magic” was a big hit with the audience!
The township of Lawrence, New Jersey is known for its commitment to going green. Just visit the Sustainable Lawrence website and you’ll see where that reputation comes from. Many area residents, businesses, congregations and other organizations have joined forces to encourage the people of Lawrence Township to practice sustainability in their everyday lives.
The Jewish Community Housing Corporation (JCHC) provides independent senior citizens with suitable living accommodations and related services, enabling them to express their Jewish affiliations through services and practices consistent with all approaches to Judaism. On December 16, JCHC’s Village Apartments in South Orange, New Jersey, held an event to help residents learn more about energy efficiency. Naturally, Project Porchlight was on hand to educate folks about the energy savings offered by compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
With a thrilling last-minute goal by Jamie Langenbrunner, the New Jersey Devils beat the Ottawa Senators on November 25 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. That wasn’t the only good news for New Jersey fans that evening: The event featured another way to win with Project Porchlight, which was set up at the arena to educate fans about energy efficiency and the energy savings offered by compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
Something extraordinary has happened in River Edge, New Jersey. On October 17, more than 200 residents—many of them students ranging from first graders to high school seniors–joined together for the River Edge Blitz. With a little help from Project Porchlight, those volunteers distributed a record-breaking total of 1,476 energy-efficient light bulbs in their community!
The 12th Annual Mimico Summer Festival – Party in the Park rolled onto the lawn of Mimico Memorial Park on June 23 in celebration of this year’s theme: Going Green. Member of Parliament and Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada Michael Ignatieff invited One Change to attend the event in his Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding, and we were more than happy to oblige.
Project Porchlight New Jersey has announced that its staff and volunteers will deliver one million free ENERGY STAR-qualified compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to households across New Jersey.
Calvin Kruk recognized posthumously as a Catalyst by United Nations Environment Programme at One Change gala event in Ottawa.
