Energy efficiency is important every time of year, but it can be challenging during the holiday season.
Traditional lights that adorn our trees and homes can double our energy consumption, but it’s hard to think of any holiday light alternatives that look as nice and feel as festive.
From central heating and holiday lights, winter is a time where energy use skyrockets for most households. If you’re wondering how you can stay green and save power this holiday, here are some great ways to conserve without missing an ounce of merriment.
6. Switch to LED Lights
You can still be merry and bright while cutting back on your energy consumption. Swap out your holiday lights for some eco-friendly alternatives. LED Christmas lights consume 90-percent less power than traditional lights, which translates to big savings for you this season.
You can purchase LED holiday lights online for as little as $10 a strand, so you won’t break the bank if you decide to buy enough for the entire house and tree! If you really want to be green this season, consider solar lights, which are available at many major retailers and range from $16 to $30 on average.
If you’re interested in more alternatives, consider fiber optic decorations. Powered by a single bulb, fiber optic trees and other holiday decorations have a beautiful, ethereal glow that emanate the warmth and spirit of the season without costing you a fortune.
5. Conserve Your Energy Use With Scheduled Lighting
Instead of leaving your tree or house lights on all day or all night, pick some specific times to enjoy them. You should wait until dark to turn on any decorations, and you should strive to turn them all off before bed. What’s the point in paying for power you aren’t even awake to notice?
Set a timer each day to remember when to shut off your lights. You won’t miss out on anything, but you’ll save plenty of energy throughout the season.
4. Use the Tree to Light the Living Room
The warm glow of the Christmas tree is a fantastic secret to holiday energy efficiency. Shut off all the lights in the room at night and let the tree lights illuminate your space. You should have ample lighting to see everything, and to top things off, the entire space will feel much more festive.
You can also cut back your energy use by relying on candles after dark. Energy savings are hard to come by, but candles are a great alternative year-round! During the holidays, they add a nice touch to your decor, and you can purchase plenty in festive colors and scents that bring cheer and peace to your home.
3. Have a Family Game Night
Energy efficiency doesn’t have to be boring. You can cut back on your consumption by turning off the TV and computers to spend some quality time with your loved ones. Play a board game, tell stories or read books by the tree or fireside. Christmas is a time to embrace the company of your family, and making memories without the use of electricity is one of the most heartwarming and gratifying ways to conserve.
2. Rely on Other Ways to Stay Warm
People who let their central heating run constantly assume there’s no other alternative, but you can cut back on energy usage by relying on other ways to stay warm. Bundle up in warm layers like cozy sweaters, fuzzy socks and long johns when you’re home. A few degrees below average indoors don’t necessitate a couple hundred dollars tacked on to your electric bill.
You can also lower your thermostat when you have friends and family gathered for the holidays; more bodies mean more heat, and you won’t have to keep the room blazing to feel warm.
When it comes to technical solutions, open and close your air vents to only heat the rooms you use instead of the whole house, and adjust your thermostat at night.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save 10 percent on your energy bill each year by lowering your home’s temperature 10 to 15 degrees every eight hours. Make sure you have warm pajamas and switch to flannel sheets that provide good insulation.
1. Cook a Big Meal at Once
Family dinners are one of the most beloved and anticipated holiday traditions. If everyone is gathering at your house this year, it’s time to multitask in the kitchen for some holiday energy savings. Most of the time, preheating the oven is just unnecessary energy usage. If you’re making a turkey or ham, just pop it in the oven while it’s heating and add some extra minutes to the timer.
Your oven doesn’t produce more energy based off its contents, so make use of its interior by cooking multiple dishes at once on its racks. You can also go for a potluck style feast and encourage your guests to bring some of their favorite sides or desserts; you can heat everything up together when they arrive, and you’ll get to spend more time with your favorite company instead of in the kitchen.
Saving During the Holidays Pays Off
There are numerous ways to conserve during the holiday season; switching to LED lights or solar lights can save you precious money that can be donated to charity or used to buy presents. Focusing on family-oriented activities that don’t consume electricity such as Christmas sightseeing walks or game nights by the fire are excellent ways to cut costs.
You might be surprised at how easy it is to save energy just by enjoying the little things. Shut off the lights and enjoy the glow of a new candle. Read the kids a bedtime story beside the tree. Go for a walk or play in the snow instead of watching TV. Focusing on the little things will help you save time, energy and bring you closer to the heart of the season.
