HolidayLEDs’ LED Christmas lights (and LED string holiday lights of several other manufacturers) were submitted to the EPA for testing under the ENERGY STAR program. The following are highlights of the results of the ENERGY STAR testing.

Do you guys do the old LIFE TIME TEST?. This test is designed to determine the performance of the product after extended use. All LED string light samples from the participating manufacturers were illuminated for a 24-hour conditioning period and then entered a 1,000 hour period of actual use.

ACCELERATED WEATHERING TESTS. After a 24-hour conditioning period, all lights sets were subjected to high humidity and UV radiation, simulating outdoor use for an extended period. All samples underwent 20 cycles of accelerated aging, 12-hours per cycle for a total of 240 hours.

Here is some more news:

Oct 15, 2008 – Alpharetta, GA — Alpharetta, Georgia-based Christmas Lights Etc. one of the largest U.S. suppliers of premium Christmas trees, decorations and holiday lighting for homes, commercial decorators and businesses is proud to announce its’ partnership with ENERGY STAR, a joint program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

For years Christmas Lights Etc. has provided customers with low energy consumption, environmentally friendly products including LED Christmas Lights and pre-lit LED Artificial Christmas Trees, Christmas Wreaths and Christmas Garland. Today, in partnership with ENERGY STAR, Christmas Lights Etc. continues its commitment to a greener Christmas by offering consumers over 75 different products bearing the ENERGY STAR label. This to insure that customers are presented with the highest quality, longest lasting, environmentally friendly options that not only benefit their pocketbooks, but benefit the planet as well.

Consumers adopting environmentally-conscious LED holiday lighting can expect to reduce power consumption 80-90% over traditional incandescent holiday lighting. Speaking on the practical benefits of switching to LED Christmas Lights, a recent October 2008 announcement by the New York State Energy Research and Development Department (NYSERDA) encouraged residents to “Upgrade decorative or holiday lighting with ENERGY STAR qualified Light-Emitting Diode (LED) holiday lighting strands.” The department went on to note that “LED holiday lighting strands last up to 11 holiday seasons, rarely burn out and will save you up to $100 per year on your energy bill!”

Commenting on the significance of the ENERGY STAR Christmas Lights partnership, William Hale, President of Christmas Lights Etc. said: “We’re proud to partner with ENERGY STAR and to do our small part in encouraging our customers to switch to energy-efficient LED lighting in order to help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and overall energy consumption. Today more than ever we invite our customers to experience the benefits of lower energy costs by switching to environmentally friendly ENERGY STAR certified LED lighting.”

About ENERGY STAR Energy Star is a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy in encouraging Americans to take the Energy Star Pledge to Change a Light/Change the World. ENERGY STAR qualified products and practices meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

About Christmas Lights, Etc. Christmas Lights, Etc. is a nationwide leading online retailer of premium Artificial Christmas Trees, Christmas Lights, Christmas Garland, Christmas Decorations, and Christmas Ornaments. Their products have been featured by the CBS Early Morning Show, Smart Money magazine, Wall Street Journal, and HGTV to name a few.

Dewey Finn is an adhoc reporter reporting on everything from LED Christmas Lights and Bulbs to …. He writes for magazines such as discount-light-bulbs.com

categories: led christmas lights,led holiday lighting,led light bulbs,led christmas lamps,led holiday lights,home decorating

Use fresh Christmas decorations: They’re lots of holiday decorations that do not use electricity at all. You can decorate your home with live evergreen boughs and other winter plants like holly bushes and poinsettias. Natural decorations are biodegradable, won’t end up in a dump and add an sophisticated touch to any house’s decor.

Use LED Christmas lights: LED (light-emitting-diode) Christmas decorations cost a little more to buy but they offer huge energy savings over incandescent light bulbs. You may save up to 40% on your electric costs for holiday lights if you switch to LED decorations. Remember that there are lots of things to consider when buying LED Christmas lights. Some home improvement stores are offering Christmas light trade-in programs to help entice people to switch to LED holiday lights.

Use lights you already have: By using Christmas lights again and again you are keeping lots of wires out of your local landfill and being smart about using resources. Try to avoid buying all new holiday decorations each year. One of the greatest ways to save cash is to go shopping in your own basement!

With a little planning you can put up decorations for Christmas and still be green. As long as your Christmas lights are in good shape it should be safe to reuse them again and again. Remember that your actions now can be a great gift for tomorrow’s children. Many of these environmentally friendly decorating ideas will put more “green” in your pocket that you can spend on holiday gifts!

Looking for more great holiday decorating ideas and tips? Check out our site for all sorts of diy home repair articles for the holidays or any time of the year!