What’s the holiday season without lights strung up throughout your home and baked goods galore? There are little things you can do, though, to keep your energy use down while still enjoying all the staples of the season.

• Limit usage of holiday lights
  Saving energy doesn’t mean forgoing holiday lighting altogether—that’s one of the best parts of the season. The Electrical Safety Foundation International recommends only turning on your holiday lighting when you’re home and turning off the lights before you go to bed. Limiting the amount of time your lights are on will also help you save on your energy bill.

• Reduce gas use
  We all know that when the holiday season starts, traffic seems to increase. There’s gift buying to be done and errands on top of errands. Shorter trips use more fuel than one long trip, so make an effort to plan more meticulously in order to combine errand runs as best you can.



• Make the LED switch
  If you haven’t already, it’s high time to invest in LED holiday lights—and, really, LED lights are something you can incorporate throughout your house in general. LED lights use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting and will last much longer. Purchase LED holiday string lights for an energy-saving option that will hold up for years to come.

• Buy energy-efficient gifts
  While you can’t control how eco-friendly other people are, you can certainly control what gifts you’re giving. Challenge yourself to buy non-electronic gifts. If you do want to gift someone electronics or an appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR® label, which ensures that you’re investing in an energy-efficient product.



• Turn down the thermostat
  When hosting a holiday party, remember to turn down the thermostat. Between the pots bubbling on the stove, the pie baking in the oven, and guests congregating all in one spot, there’s no need to crank the heat when company is over.