1. Use LED holiday lights.
As Frannie shared in part 4 of the Saving Energy, Saving Water series, LED lights are more efficient than standard incandescent lights and use less energy!
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| Frannie loves hanging LED icicle lights from her fence. |
2. Limit the light you use.
Only turn your outdoor lights on when it gets dark outside and remember to turn them off when you head to bed. If you have trouble remembering to turn your lights on or off, you can use a timer to automatically turn your lights on and off during certain hours every evening. Also remember to unplug any indoor holiday lights (such as tree lights) when you leave a room!
3. Utilize fire instead of electric lights.
If you have a fireplace, you can use the fireplace to help heat your home while providing light for a room, helping to save energy in two different ways! Even if you don't have a fireplace, using candles instead of electric lights can help save energy as well. Remember to never leave a burning candle unattended and always ask an adult for assistance when lighting a fire in a fireplace. Fire safety is very important!
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| Frannie enjoys lighting candles during the holidays to decorate and add light to a room. |
4. Don't throw away those old, burned-out lights.
You can upcycle them into beautiful ornaments, centerpieces, or wreaths and re-purpose them. Upcycling is a great way to reduce waste and reduce the amount of water we use in the creation of new materials. It is also a lot of fun! Frannie enjoys upcycling so much that she plans to devote the next four weeks to holiday upcycling projects. So, stay tuned for fun activities you can do with your family, friends, and troop that will help reduce waste and conserve water!
How are you saving energy and saving water this holiday season? Do you have more ideas other than the ones we discussed the past six weeks in Frannie's blog series? Share them here!
