Replace your old holiday lights with Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light strings. Although they cost more initially, LEDs use a fraction of the energy of traditional holiday lights. Plus, they last up to 20 years.
Plug your indoor and outdoor lighting displays into a timer set to run during the earlier evening hours. If you don’t use timers, unplug your lights when you go to sleep or leave home.
Cook as many dishes as possible in your microwave over the holidays. Microwaves cook food so quickly, an Energy Star® model uses up to 75% less energy than a conventional oven.
Keep your refrigerator and freezer well stocked. A full refrigerator or freezer saves energy by reducing the recovery time when the door is opened.
When using your oven, check cooking progress by looking through the window. Opening the oven door for even a few seconds lowers the temperature inside by as much as 25°F. If your oven doesn’t have a window, try not to open the door to check your food until it’s as close to the expected finish time as possible. Turn off your oven several minutes before your food is fully cooked. As long as the door remains closed, enough heat will be stored inside to finish cooking your meal.
