A letter from the founder of LIGHTCongress

Let’s Make a Club.

When I was a kid growing in the post 60’s era, everyone was still looking for causes. Do you remember that commercial that aired circa 1970ish, over and over, that featured a native American riding his horse through the urban-scapes only to cry as he witnessed the waste laid to the once pristine land of his forefathers? Like a lot of kids, it moved us. So we started a neighborhood club called L.I.F.E. – Living in Free Environment. Cool name. And we were determined to clean the place up. But like most kid clubs, L.I.F.E. died quickly as we got busy with sports and comic books. But it left the groundwork for a solid déjà vu when Al Gore enlightened us all with Global Warming.

So here we are again. A cause. A club. Many of us believe that the lighting and energy sectors are the focal points of environmental change. ‘Change a light, change the world’ has been hammered into consumers and energy users and clearly the message has been received. But has it been accepted much like “one vote can make a difference’ in our political process or is the message truly resonating? It’s been a great beginning and a worthwhile cause, but there is a much bigger picture. In this LightCongress we will show clearly that the actions of a few can change the outcome for the many. That the bottom-line can take a sharp turn upwards because in those hills of skyscrapers, endless seas of homes and sprawling industrial complexes, there is gold buried. And unlike other industries, we don’t have to wait for the hydrogen powered car or the touch of a leprechaun to effect a major difference. We have the technologies. We have the processes. We have a club.

Our panels this year come from different ends of the spectrum, quite literally. But that diversity is what I love about our industry. Our palette is only limited by the depth of our collective imagination. You will find a wealth of information here and some new ideas. LightCongress is a forum, meant to foster an open dialogue, so please ask questions and spread your thoughts.

If you’ve never attended LightCongress, you should be here. If you have, you’re probably back, and we’re glad to have you. While here, support our supporters who make this club possible, and thank them.

Click here to view presentations from our March 2007 symposium.

For more information contact Jeff@greystonepartners.net