About Us

Green Light began with a bright idea.

Andreas Hoffman created Green Light in 2007 as a grassroots initiative to help residents reduce energy use, utility costs, and their carbon footprints by replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient CFLs. To date, GLNO has distributed more than 600,000 bulbs in 27,000 homes. We no longer install light bulbs. We are now known for our beautiful rain barrels. 

How did we get from bulbs to barrels?

In 2015, we identified flooding and subsidence as significant challenges for New Orleans. We developed the Rain Barrel Program to empower residents with a low-cost tool to capture rainwater as a local solution. Rain barrels reduce runoff entering overburdened drainage infrastructure, alleviate local flooding, reduce subsidence, and allow residents to repurpose rainwater for non-potable uses. To date, more than 3,400 rain barrels have been installed throughout the city. Barrels are up-cycled barrels obtained from food service partners. Each barrel is unique – painted by a volunteer artist. Rain barrels are available to residents within the levee system at a sliding cost-share ranging from $10 to $500.

Rain barrels go to schools, too.

Education is essential to our mission. GLNO partners with the STEM Library Lab to use rain barrels in service learning. Teachers can apply for barrels, which are accompanied by curriculum materials to educate about topics such as weather, climate change, local flooding and subsidence, and green infrastructure. Barrels are painted by students for use in our rain barrel program, blending environmental science, art, and civic engagement.

Volunteers make it all possible.

Our volunteers are critical to our success. Every rain barrel is prepared and painted by volunteers. We host volunteers at Green Light almost every day and welcome individuals and groups. Whether you want to paint art on a barrel or just get it ready for an artist, we would love your help.