Holiday lighting that’s festive and energy efficient

REGION — Holiday lighting can add $100 dollars to your electric bill in less than 30 days. Standard holiday lights consume between 4 and 7 watts of electricity per bulb. Energy can be saved without sacrificing the festive by replacing standard holiday lighting with LED (light emitting diodes), compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, mini-lights and fiber optic holiday displays.

LEDs have been around for years. They provide high-quality, durable and safe lighting with low energy consumption, using just .04 watts per light. They come in a wide variety of colors, can be strung in long lengths, and when one bulb burns out, the entire strand keeps working, making replacement easy.

New in many retail stores is an artificial tree outfitted with fiber optic lighting in the branches. With one small light bulb and optional color wheel, light is transmitted through the fibers with none of the heat.

Mini-lights consume 0.4 watts and come in long lengths for indoor and outdoor use. You will also find CFLs with a mini-base to fit into candelabras and small holiday displays providing bright, warm light.

For more information visit GetEnergySmart.org or call 877/NY-SMART.