Elementary School Students Celebrate Earth Day with Makers of SYLVANIA Light Bulbs and Country Singer Jessie Chris

Earth Day (April 22) reminds us of the importance of being good stewards of the planet and our communities. LEDVANCE, the maker of SYLVANIA general lighting in the United States and Canada, is celebrating Earth Day with a school in upstate New York to share easy ways to help support the Earth.

Moe LaLonde is a STEM teacher at Westmoreland Upper Elementary School, home of the Bulldogs, in Westmoreland, New York. "We have made some great environmental improvements due to bringing issues to the forefront and getting people on board, but there is always room for more progress," said LaLonde. "The students hear about environmental concerns in the media and want to know what they can do to help, which is what we focus on in our Earth Day lessons."

"When we were brainstorming how to celebrate Earth Day this year, we received an email from Mr. LaLonde to see if we could provide resources for his lessons," said Wolfgang Mailaender, Head of Marketing for the U.S. and Canada, LEDVANCE. "We thought what he was doing was so fantastic that we wanted to showcase him and his students for their commitment to the Earth and share their advice for supporting the planet."

LEDVANCE visited the school to hear what the students had learned with Mr. LaLonde as they prepared for Earth Day and brought 1,200 SYLVANIA LED light bulbs so every student and facility member in the school district could have a long-lasting, energy-efficient light bulb for their home. As part of the trip, LEDVANCE brought country singer Jessie Chris, who is the ambassador for company's "Who Lights Up Your World?" contest. Recently launched with the non-profit Be the Light Campaign, the contest invites the nation to nominate everyday heroes who are sources of light for those around them for a chance to be rewarded and recognized. To see a video of the visit, click here.

LaLonde added, "In addition to supporting the environment, being good to the planet also means being kind to its inhabitants, which is why I am so excited about the contest to recognize those that are sources of light. Here at Westmoreland Upper Elementary, one way we spread light is through our ?Helping Hands' group, where students organize activities to support the community." The light-hearted group has planted trees at school to promote Earth Day and done Spring clean-up of school grounds, and made flower planters to beautify the campus, Westmoreland Bulldog keychains to promote school spirit in the community, and inspirational plaques for sick children.

A victim of bullying while growing up, Jessie has traveled to over 100 elementary and middle schools across the nation, including Westmoreland Upper Elementary, to share her story of overcoming adversity to help students that are dealing with being bullied.

"We have been talking with the students throughout the year about the importance of positivity and being kind," said Stephen Polera, principal of Westmoreland Upper Elementary School. "Jessie's message of believing in yourself, even when others don't, and supporting each other was a perfect way to reinforce our efforts. The kids and teachers were also very excited to be able to have a free LED light bulb that can help their families save energy and money."

"Our commitment to the environment goes ?beyond the bulb.' We're a company that offers lighting solutions that help save energy, and we're committed to being environmentally responsible in how we bring those solutions to businesses and consumers," said Jennifer Dolin, head of Government Affairs and Sustainability at LEDVANCE. "It's encouraging to hear the Westmoreland students talk about Earth Day ? they understand the impact of adopting simple and effective actions for the environment and the community, and they're already making a difference."

Easy Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

As the kids from Westmoreland Upper Elementary School know, making a difference this Earth Day is simple. One way you can help celebrate Earth Day is by taking the pledge to choose an ENERGY STAR^® certified product. When you choose ENERGY STAR, you are not only saving energy and reducing air pollution, you are also saving money on your electricity bill. Learn how you can do your part to help the climate with ENERGY STAR by visiting energystar.gov/earthday.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are more than 3 billion light fixtures in homes across the U.S. that still contain inefficient bulbs, wasting Americans billions of dollars in energy costs. By replacing your home's five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with models that have earned the ENERGY STAR, you can save about $45 on your electricity bill every year.

In the U.S., about 63 percent of the electricity we use is generated by power plants that burn fossil fuels to produce energy. This results in a variety of harmful gases and fine particles being emitted into the air that can contribute to adverse health effects and air pollution. Switching to energy-saving LED lighting lowers electricity demand and the need to burn fossil fuels. The EPA notes that if every American home replaced a light bulb with one that earned the ENERGY STAR, we would annually prevent nearly 7 billion pounds greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to planting more than 75 million trees.

Available at major retailers online and in-store nationwide and through commercial channels, SYLVANIA LED general lighting products are available for practically any socket, inside and out, and are long lasting and energy efficient with many being ENERGY STAR certified. SYLVANIA LED light bulbs can last up to 22 years and save up to 85 percent on electricity. These reduce maintenance and energy costs and have the traditional shape and superior glow consumers know and enjoy, making them a great replacement for traditional lighting.

ABOUT LEDVANCE LLC
With offices in more than 50 countries and business activities in more than 140 countries, LEDVANCE is one of the world's leading general lighting providers for professional users and end consumers. In North America, LEDVANCE LLC offers a wide range of SYLVANIA LED luminaires for various applications, intelligent lighting products for Smart Homes and Buildings, one of the largest LED lamps portfolios in the industry, and traditional light sources. In fiscal year 2017, LEDVANCE achieved a turnover of around 1.9 billion Euro. The SYLVANIA brand leadership is a result of over 100 years of lighting experience and paves the way for future success. Further information can be found at www.sylvania.com.

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