by KYW's Fran Sorin

Because of our growing concern about draining our natural resources, saving energy by minimizing Christmas lighting is important.

The first thing to do is to reduce the size of outdoor lighting displays. And using outdoor mini-lights can also help to conserve energy. Buy the lights with  the longest lengths. Some 100 mini-lights strings are up to 40 feet long while others are only 8-9 feet in length.

Use LED lights for house and Christmas tree lighting. LED (Light Emitting Diode) holiday lights use up to 95% less energy than regular lights and last up to 100,000 hours when used indoors, plus the cost is only a fraction of conventional lighting.

And finally, be sure to turn off all tree lights and outdoor decorative lighting when you go to bed.

Contact Fran Sorin at fransorin.com.