Have a Green Christmas

By Megan McLaughlin


This holiday season, why not find a way to save yourself some money while saving the environment? There are many ways to combat those high electricity bills around the holidays and using energy efficient lights is one of them!

LED lights are the way to go this year; LEDs, or “Light Emitting Diodes,” are different than standard bulbs. “Typical indicator LEDs are designed to operate with no more than 30–60 milliwatts (mW) of electrical power.” According to eartheasy, “Electric lighting burns up to 25% of the average home energy budget.” “LEDs are small, solid light bulbs which are extremely energy-efficient. New LED bulbs are grouped in clusters with diffuser lenses which have broadened the applications for LED use in the home.” As you can see, there are many benefits to using LED lights as an alternative.

So, where and how do you get LED Christmas lights? Well edf.org (Environmental Defense Fund) has some answers; “LED string lights use much less electricity, reduce pollution from power plants and last longer. And they stay cooler, too. While they cost more than traditional strings of lights up front, the electricity savings easily make up the cost difference within a season or two.” You can purchase these LED lights just about anywhere. Stores like Target and Wal-Mart carry them and sites like Holiday LEDs and LED Holiday Lighting, are great resources for the latest and greatest in Christmas gear!

These LED lights can save up to 80% on your electricity. You may need to spend a little more to purchase them (very little extra), but they will pay for themselves in no time. If you’re looking for a bright idea this holiday season, you may have found a solution with LED Christmas lights!