There’s an initiative underway leading up to Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

The initiative is being spearheaded by Wal-Mart, which automatically makes some people jump to the corporate greed bandwagon, but let’s put that aside.

Wal-Mart is encouraging everyone to replace one white light bulb with a green one in a visible location — whether it is on your porch, in the house or at the office — and keep it shining bright as a symbol of thanks and support for veterans.

To reach out to the younger generation, the effort encourages you to take a photo of your green light and put it up on Twitter.

A website Wal-Mart put up, greenlightavet.com, says:

“America’s veterans are some of our nation’s bravest, hardest-working men and women. However, it’s hard to show them the appreciation they deserve when, back home and out of uniform, they’re more camouflaged than ever.”

Green is a color associated with spring, rebirth, nature, renewal, hope and well-being. The term “greenlight” is used when talking about forward movement. By choosing the color green and by sparking an initiative, it puts a positive focus on veterans who deserve respect.

Residents of the Wellsgate subdivision in Oxford are already getting their green light bulbs and the neighborhood is buzzing about it. One Wellsgate resident told the EAGLE she has tremendous respect and feelings for veterans, with her husband having fought in a war, and she is “going to burn that green light.”

Oxford’s Walmart store is already telling shoppers about the initiative and encouraging participation.

If you don’t want to shop at Walmart for one reason or another, there are other options in town for purchasing light bulbs. Go to a hardware store or Home Depot. If feeling like a drive where you can look at the changing leaves, head to New Albany or Tupelo to the Lowe’s.

The word is circulating about the green light idea with enough time before Nov. 11 that you have some time to get to the store and change out a bulb. There’s enough time for this to become a community effort and initiative and entire neighborhoods can light up green, for one day or for every day.

Don’t want to put out a green light? Think of something else you can do to thank a veteran. There are veterans in the community, whether in a subdivision with you, or in the state veterans home nearby, that deserve our admiration and a thank you every day.