How to Use Less Energy During the Holidays

LED Christmas lights use 90% less electricity than regular Christmas lights, and can be purchased for around $10 a strand. Want to learn more?

Fiber optic trees and decorations are the ultimate in energy efficiency. In most cases, they use a single light bulb located at the base of the unit to light the entire decoration – now that's energy smart and budget-smart!

Wait until dark to turn on your Christmas lights and then, turn them off before you go to bed. Six hours or less of daily use is a good goal to aim for. Do you have trouble remembering to turn your lights on and off? Then, set a timer, and forget about it.

The lights on your Christmas tree should provide more than enough lighting to navigate around the room.

Christmas lights are nice, but so are candles. Set up luminaries along your walkway and lit candles throughout your home to achieve a beautiful holiday glow, without adding to the electric bill.

Extra bodies in the house mean extra warmth at no cost to you.

According to energyquest.ca.gov, 40% off all batteries are purchased during the holiday season. That's a lot of money spent on batteries and a lot of energy used! Make a pledge to buy energy-free gifts, and skip the expense entirely.

If you buy or receive gifts that require batteries, consider purchasing rechargeable batteries and a charger. Recent advancements have made rechargeable batteries better than ever.

Energy Star certified electronics – TVs, DVD players, VCRs and cordless phones – use up to 60 – less electricity than their non-certified counterparts. Visit energystar.gov for a list of qualifying models, and shop smart.

Leave the car in the driveway this year when you go out to look at Christmas lights. A walking tour of your neighborhood will be just as fun, and won't use any gas.

The holiday season is a big time for baking. Make the most of your oven and the energy that goes into heating it, by cooking several dishes at once. Remember: it takes the same amount of energy to heat a full oven as it does a nearly-empty one.

Use your microwave and toaster oven for small holiday cooking tasks; save the oven for big cooking tasks.

Foods cook faster (meaning less energy use) when the lid is on.

TVs, DVD players, computers, printers, radios and many other electronics use energy even when they aren’t turned on. Unplug these items before you go on vacation, and enjoy the energy savings.