Use Energy-Efficient Lights This Christmas

Decorating for the holidays is most of the best parts of owning a home.

When you imagine decking your halls, the twinkling strands of holiday lights are probably one of the first things that come to mind. The cozy glow they give add so much to the holiday atmosphere. But these small strands of lights have a bigger impact than you might imagine. Thanks to extravagant holiday displays, homeowners consume significantly more electricity during the holiday season, which in turn impacts the environment and climate change.

This Christmas, instead of using conventional Christmas lights to trim your tree, consider switching to energy-efficient lights. LED lights are quickly becoming a popular choice for homeowners. Because these light-emitting diodes (LEDs) do not require a color filter, they are much more energy efficient than traditional lights. Energy-saving bulbs are another alternative that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. As an added bonus, these bulbs last up to 12 times longer than the traditional ones. No matter which alternative you choose, these energy-efficient lights provide many benefits for the environment, as well as homeowners.

1. Energy-Efficient Christmas Lights are Cheaper
   LED lights are extremely cost-effective because they are very durable and designed to last. The solid cases they are built inside of protect them while you are hanging them on your tree. On average, you can expect LED lights to last about 10 years. Traditional incandescent bulbs, on the other hand, only work for about 6 months. As an LED light reaches the end of its life, it starts to fade, rather than burn out. Because this doesn’t affect the other lights, you can continue to use the strand, reducing your replacement costs.
   
   
2. Energy-Efficient Christmas Lights are Safer
   Conventional Christmas lights are a significant fire hazard due to the amount of heat they emit. Because LEDs produce much less heat, they pose less of a risk when placed on a tree or near other decorations. This also reduces the risk of your children or pets being burned by touching a hot light bulb.
   
   One safety factor you may have never considered is the risk of stepping on a strand of Christmas lights. Traditional Christmas lights use glass bulbs, which can shatter and cause significant cuts if they are stepped on. The plastic cases on LED lights are unlikely to break, even if they are stepped on. If they did happen to break, it is unlikely that a serious injury would occur.
   
   
3. Energy-Efficient Christmas Lights are More Environmentally Friendly
   Christmas lights use a significant amount of energy. A study by the Department of Energy stated that Christmas lights used over 2.22 Terawatt-hours of electricity during the 2003 holiday season. That amount of energy is enough to power 200,000 homes for a year.
   
   LED lights use only 10 percent of the energy that conventional Christmas lights require. In an incandescent light bulb, about 90 percent of the energy drawn in is wasted and released as heat. Because an LED bulb is more efficient, it transforms practically all of the energy it uses into the light, producing very little heat.
   
   Just how much of a difference can homeowners make by using energy-efficient Christmas lights? Consider this – one energy-efficient bulb can save up to 88 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. If using only energy-efficient bulbs became the standard for homeownership, multiple power plants could close.

Let your Christmas decorating make a real difference this holiday season by choosing to use energy-efficient lights. It's the best Christmas present you could give to the environment!

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