UK Christmas lighting equal to 22.8 days electricity carbon emissions
12/11/2010 Independent A survey of British householders by price comparison site GoCompare released on November 10 via the Energy Saving Trustrevealed just how much energy is wasted by Christmas lighting.
Of those surveyed 52% of respondents intended to display decorative Christmas lighting outside the house. With this in mind GoCompare calculated that a display of 100 five-watt bulbs switched on for six hours a day over the festive period will consume 207 Kwh, the equivalent of 22.8 days of the average British household’s electricity consumption.
Aside from taking energy saving measures such as turning down the thermostat by 1 degree, switching off lights or only heating occupied rooms, consumers eager to get in the festive spirit could reduce their energy bills by purchase energy-saving Christmas decorations.
According to American organization Environmental Defense Fund one of the easiest ways to lower Christmas electricity bills is by buying energy-saving LED decorative lighting, suitable for both outdoor and indoor displays. Though LED Christmas lighting often costs more than traditional alternatives, in the long term it consumes far less energy, which leads to lower electricity bills and reduces the environmental impact of the festive season.
LED Christmas lights are available to buy online throughout Europe and America at amazon.com and can cost anywhere between $18 to $80 depending upon the type of display. Online market place alibaba.com also stocks some Christmas LED products as do many regional stores throughout Europe and America.