LED Lights Can Brighten Your Holidays

Switching to LED (light-emitting diodes) holiday lights can save quite a bit of money and energy.

Just how much you ask?

Find out by using our Holiday Lighting Energy Calculator that's available on the Dominion website.

The calculator shows that three 100-bulb strings of LED lights cost our customers just a penny a day for electricity to light a home or tree for six hours a day. That compares with 10 cents a day for three 100-bulb strings of incandescent "mini" or "icicle" lights.

The cost to light a holiday tree with LEDs is 13 cents to 17 cents per season, compared to $6 to $10 for incandescent lights, according to the Electric Power Research Institute.

One of the Richmond area's largest holiday light displays, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden's GardenFest of Lights, uses more than 20 miles of LED strands in its 600,000-light display, which runs through January 11, 2010.

For illumination, LEDs use electron movement in tiny semiconductors - miniature versions of the chips that help run computers - instead of filaments like incandescent bulbs. They are manufactured in a variety of traditional shapes, sizes and colors that blink and flicker. Because LEDs are encased in hard plastic instead of fragile glass, they are more durable.

EPRI estimates potential annual electricity cost savings in the nation would exceed $250 million if all seasonal mini-lights were switched to LEDs. This translates into a potential carbon emissions reduction of 400,000 tons per year, the equivalent of removing 65,882 automobiles from roads for one year.

Black Friday

In a mere 5 days, one of the biggest shopping days of the year will have arrived: Black Friday.

Black Friday, or Blitz Day, is an American tradition of shopping where retail stores across the country slash prices and offer huge discounts for holiday shoppers looking to catch a great bargain.

While I love watching the herds of people running for children’s toys, I wanted to remind you of a couple conservation tips and ideas…

• Getting a computer? Consider a laptop. They use significantly less energy than a desktop. Here’s a Buying Guide to help you make a decision.
• Consider getting gift certificates to local companies instead of buying goods manufactured and shipped from foreign countries.
• Carpool! There’s nothing better than everyone packing into the van for a day of shopping.
• Combine all shopping trips into one. Create a map of where you want to go and the most efficient route. Try to make all your gift purchases during this one outing (then enjoy all of the wrapping that comes next!)
• Instead of buying new clothes, why not get some “experienced” clothes or other goods like sporting equipment at a local resale store.

JTCC – Green Building

We often hear about people wanting to “go green,” but when the rubber meets the road, it seems hard for many ideas to get off the ground. This isn’t the case for Richmond based John Tyler Community College. John Tyler is the first in the Virginia Community College System to register a construction project under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.

Check out some of the building features they mention on their website…

Habitat (Sustainable Sites)

• Large open spaces allow storm water to be absorbed into the soil and reduce the heat island effect.
• Use of native and adaptable plants requires minimal watering and maintenance from pollution-emitting equipment.
• The green roof filters and absorbs rainwater to minimize the run-off that goes into the municipal storm system. It also reduces the heat island effect, insulating the building against extreme temperatures.
• Parking lots include spaces reserved for fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles and for those who carpool.
• Bike racks, showers and changing rooms encourage the use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation.

Water (Water Efficiency)

• Native plants used in landscaping are adapted to the local environment, minimizing the need for permanent irrigation.

Energy (Energy & Atmosphere)

• Exterior solar shading devices shield against solar heating glare without obstructing views.
• Mechanical induction units in the Library control thermal conduction through the exterior windows without increasing energy consumption.
• Energy-efficient glass helps to maintain a tight building envelope, maximizing visibility and minimizing the negative impact of solar heat on the HVAC system.
• Occupancy sensors turn lights on or off depending on whether a space is in use.
• To encourage the development of renewable energy technologies, renewable energy credits (RECs) equal to 70% of the annual electrical consumption over a two-year period were purchased.

Materials (Materials & Resources)

• Dedicated recycling centers are found throughout the building.
• 24% of building materials are from recycled content when measured in cost.
• Over 92%, or 1,042 tons, of the construction waste generated during the project was diverted from landfills and sent to recycling centers.
• 11% of construction materials were extracted, processed and manufactured within 500 miles of campus.

Health (Indoor Environmental Quality)

• The use of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, carpet, adhesives, sealants and other building materials improves air quality.
• Custom millwork and wood doors contain no added urea formaldehyde, a chemical commonly found in wood products that can irritate the eyes and throat.
• Motorized light filtering sunshades help control heat and glare from the sun without compromising natural daylight.

Innovation

• A green housekeeping program has been established to control the chemical pollutants used in the building.
• An integrated pest management program has been developed to minimize toxic chemicals indoors and in the landscape.
• A green education program that includes building tours and community partnerships has been developed.
• LEED-accredited professionals administered this building project.
• The project team reduced paper consumption during construction by going “paperless.”

Cooking Turkey the Conservation Way

With many kitchens about to fill up with family and laughter, remember some easy ways to conserve and manage the cooking duties of holiday meal preparation:

• Place frozen foods in the refrigerator to help reduce cooking times by allowing it to defrost for a while. It can take several days for a frozen turkey to defrost, so plan ahead.
• Try to cook more than one thing in the oven. Maybe while the butternut squash is finishing up, you can also cook the strudel dessert.
• Or why not just make an extra batch of cookies now instead of later – the oven is already on, and I’m sure if you took them into work your co-workers would love the extra batch of cookies you made.
• Try not to peek at the food while it’s cooking. Opening the door lowers the temperature 25°F.
• Think about turning the oven off a few minutes before cooking time is complete. Food will continue cooking at the set temperature as long as the oven door is not opened during that time.

Tailgating the Energy Conservation Way

Football season is still in full swing. Whether you come out on Saturday to cheer on your college team, or Sunday to support your NFL team (or maybe both days), think about what you are packing in that tailgating gear. There are some small ways to help make a difference, even while tailgating.

• Instead of the plastic utensils or cups, pack biodegradable.
• Set up a garbage bag for just the aluminum cans.
• Consider some no bake food items to share with friends.
• There are also ways to grill with conservation in mind. We talked about that in an old blog post too.
• Carpool with your friends instead of driving multiple cars to the game and take the most fuel efficient car or truck you have.

What ways are you keeping energy conservation in mind when out at the game?

Fun Theory – Piano Steps – MLGW

Our friends over at Bird on a Wire (Memphis Light, Gas & Water’s blog) have really neat blog posts on a regular basis.

One of the posts they did in the middle of October highlighted a clever way to change behavior called The Fun Theory.

Even though the escalators are still working, it’s a neat video about people choosing a healthier and energy independent option.

Recycle Last Year’s Model Now That You Upgraded

What to do with that old tube TV now that you upgraded to the efficient flat screen? Or how about recycling old cell phones, printers or even large appliances?

Well across the nation there are many recycling centers set up to help properly dispose of our old gadgets. By properly recycling and disposing of old electronics or appliances, you are helping keep these items out of landfills where they could cause soil, water or air contamination.

In doing some research I just discovered that Best Buy offers electronics recycling. There are some standards they follow and you can check out all their program details here.

My local Waste Management Authority recently sent out an email about their upcoming recycling days. If you are in the Richmond area, you can check out the Central VA Waste Management Authority for more details.

To find other local recycling centers near you, check out Earth 911.

New Year’s Resolution Tip #11 Of 12 – Use An Efficient Dishwasher Instead of Hand Washing Dishes

Estimated Cost: Depends on model of dishwasher.

Ease of Install: Very Easy

Other Notes: According to EnergyStar.gov, if you still wash your dishes by hand, you’re wasting more than just time.

• Save money - Washing dishes in a new ENERGY STAR qualified machine rather than hand washing can cut your utility bills by more than $40 per year.
• Save time - Instead of scrubbing, rinsing, and drying each dish, just load them all in an ENERGY STAR dishwasher and press start. Using an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher can save you over 230 hours of personal time over the course of a year. That’s almost 10 days!
• Get better cleaning - Many features in an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher result in better cleaning. For example, ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers boost water temperatures to 140 degrees, which allows for improved disinfection compared to hand washing.
• Save energy and water - Thought you were efficient? A new ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher uses less than half as much energy as washing dishes by hand and saves nearly 5,000 gallons of water a year!
• Save the environment - Because they use less energy, ENERGY STAR qualified products reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil fuels. By reducing water consumption, they also help protect our lakes, streams and oceans.