# Give yourself a bonus gift of energy savings with these holiday savings tips from NYSERDA

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/11/give-yourself-a-bonus-gift-of-energy-savings-with-these-holiday-savings-tips-from-nyserda/
- Published: 2012-11-21T01:01:36-05:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

Whether you’re hosting holiday gatherings, decking the halls with festive lighting
or running countless holiday errands, the holiday season doesn’t have to run up 
your energy bills. To reduce energy use during the holidays, follow these tips from
the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

**_Give the gift of savings._**

Ø  Give your family the gift of energy savings with ENERGY STAR® qualified electronics
such as computers, printers, televisions, battery chargers, Blu-RayTM players, DVD
players and cordless phones. These products use less energy than products without
the ENERGY STAR label.

Ø  Include rechargeable batteries for additional savings. Although these batteries
have a higher initial cost, they can be recharged and used many times, and therefore
have lower environmental impact than disposable batteries.

Ø  Don’t forget advanced power strips.  These strips eliminate standby or “phantom”
power from electronics that still continue to draw power after they are turned off.

Decorate with ENERGY STAR lighting.

Ø  Decorating your home for the [holidays](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/05/green-ways-to-have-the-holidays/)
can be costly, but many energy-efficient options are available that can help save
money. When purchasing lights, look for the ENERGY STAR label, and always remember
to use an automatic timer to turn your decorative lights on and off.

Ø  Consider ENERGY STAR qualified decorative light strings featuring light-emitting
diodes or LED technology. These decorative light strings consume 70 percent less
energy than conventional incandescent light strands, can last up to 10 times longer,
are cool to the touch, reduce the risk of fire in your home, and if a single bulb
burns out, the rest of the LED string will stay lit.

Combine Trips.

Ø  Plan your shopping trips carefully. Several short trips can use twice as much
fuel as a longer one that covers the same distance. Stop by the store on your way
home from work to conserve.

Ø  Be sure to drive sensibly and defensively as traffic increases around the holidays.
Aggressive driving wastes gas and can lower your mileage by as much as 33 percent
on the highway and 5 percent around town.

No Peeking.

Ø  Whether preparing holiday feasts or simply doing some baking, don’t be tempted
to open the oven door.  Every time you do, the temperature goes down 25 degrees,
forcing your oven to work harder and use more energy.

Ø  Heat multiple items in the oven together when preparing holiday meals and treats.
Turn the oven off 10 to15 minutes early to let residual heat finish the job.

For a real energy-saving present this season, give yourself the gift of a comprehensive
home energy assessment, which can help you decrease energy use in your home, cut
energy costs and increase comfort in 2012 and beyond. To find out how you can qualify
for a free or reduced-cost whole-house energy assessment in New York State, go to
[http://nyserda.ny.gov/residential](https://www.greenbiz.com/news/2011/10/20/massachusetts-grabs-top-spot-aceee-state-rankings).

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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