New York middle-school science teacher Mr. Kenny Luna [1] has hatched what he’s dubbed The Bright Idea! [2] – a plan to publicly pressure Oprah Winfrey [3] to reach into her deep pockets and give 50 million American school kids a compact-flourescent lightbulb (CFL). Since CFLs on average use 75 percent less energy than normal light bulbs, they can have a substantial impact on America's energy use [4].

If every student in America changed one bulb to a CFL bulb, predicts Luna, it would add up to electricity-bill savings of $2.3 billion [5].

A press conference took place yesterday with hundreds of students to promote the cause. ABC, CBS and other news outlets have picked up on the story, and stores including Home Depot [6] have already begun contributing to the cause. But as yet, no word from Ms. Winfrey. "It's about our children's future,” insists Luna. “They are the one's who will bear the brunt of global warming [6]."

Image credit: RMI.org [7]