The holiday season generally requires more energy from homeowners than usual. Heating and electric usage go up, whether you’re just having the family over and cooking more, or if you are going the Clark Griswold decorative route.
As far as your home goes, having an energy audit can be the “gift that keeps on giving”. For some homeowners, it can even be free! The energy assessments will show where energy loss occurs, ways to save money, and make the most of your heating system. Click here to find out more information.
LED bulbs are becoming more and more popular, whether you are using them to light your home on a regular basis or using them as Christmas lights! LED Christmas lightbulbs can save 80-95 percent of energy, when compared to traditional holiday bulbs. There are even solar-powered LED Christmas lights. The solar-powered lights do tend to cost more, but they won’t affect your electric bill at all. We found large sets of them at Home Depot, but they’re also available on Amazon and local stores too.
We encourage going local for your cooking and gift needs. Our neighbors at CitySeed in New Haven will be continuing their popular markets throughout the month of December. The Wooster Square market is right around the corner from our office! CTvisit.com has also compiled a handy list of gifts that are made right here in the Nutmeg State, and you can check <ahref=”http: www.buyctgrown.com=”” “target=”_blank”>BuyCTGrown year-round for fresh, local produce around Connecticut.</ahref=”http:>
Wrapping said gifts can create a ton of paper waste. While using recycled wrapping paper is the easiest way to go, we found a great list of creative ways to wrap holiday presents. Our favorite is the recycled subway maps!
You can even go green with your green! Although artificial trees seem like a good choice since you are not cutting down a tree, there’s are some great arguments in favor of live Christmas trees that might surprise you! The Nature Conservancy, the organization that has been advancing conservation efforts around the world since 1951, created a great video in favor of real Christmas trees. Check it out below!
Of course as a solar installer, we think solar is the best way to offset your utility bills! Installations can be done all year, regardless of the season. If you’re interested in more information to see if you have a viable site for solar, sign up here.