Mayor Graham Richard today visited Glenwood Park Elementary School to promote a nationwide program, Change a Light, Change the World.

Mayor Richard called on residents to replace frequently used light bulbs with Energy Star marked compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL). Each CFL lasts as long as eight regular incandescent bulbs and uses only 25% of the energy of a regular bulb.

Individuals can get involved by taking a pledge to save energy by replacing at least one light in their home with an Energy Star light. Visit www.energystar.gov and use the drop down box to choose City of Fort Wayne as the referring organization. The City'€™s goal is to have 1,000 residents take the online pledge by October 31.

If every home in Fort Wayne changes one regular light bulb to a CFL bulb:

* Equivalent to taking 1,458 vehicles off the road

* Reduces greenhouse gases by nearly 92 million pounds

* Saves enough energy to light 27,626 homes for a year

This month'€™s City Utilities bill stuffer includes information about the Change a Light, Change the World campaign.

“All of us must work together to reduce energy dependency and improve our environment,” said Mayor Richard. “We are pleased to participate in a national effort to promote energy saving techniques that will enhance our quality of life.”

Glenwood Park has a focus on nature studies that features an outdoor science lab that is maintained by students, teachers and parents. Glenwood Park teachers wrote a science curriculum for students to learn through the outdoor lab.

Change a Light, Change the World is part of the City'€™s Green City Public Outreach campaign designed to inform and educate the community on the importance of conserving energy and improving air quality.