Five tips for a more sustainable holiday season

Decorating the tree, spinning the dreidel, lighting the kinara, spending time with loved ones and watching heartwarming movies… These traditions come to mind when thinking about the holidays. For many, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

However, the average American household uses up to 30% more electricity than usual during this time of year?[1] Roughly 3.8% of an individual’s annual carbon emissions occur during holidays. [2]

To enjoy a more sustainable holiday season, here are some things to consider managing electricity use:

LED lights use less electricity

LED lights for festive displays require less electricity to run and have a longer life, reducing electricity usage by up to 75% [3]. Even better, lights connected to small solar panels (which are available at many hardware stores) provide a renewable power source.

Learn more about the difference between incandescent and LED lights, as well as how to estimate your electricity use, here: How Much Electricity do Christmas Lights Use?

Timers on lights can save even more electricity

Using automatic timers can save money on electricity bills, reduce the emissions from their use and prolong the life of the lights. And this applies to all the lights in a home – inside and out. But be sure to use a weather-safe timer outside.

Embrace efficiency in the kitchen

Cooking accounts for 4-5% of total home electricity use (and can reach up to 15% when adding refrigeration, hot water, dishwashing, and all the other elements that go into making a great meal) [4]. Small things like keeping the oven door closed, seeing where to avoid the need for pre-heating, cooking a few things in the oven simultaneously and keeping the stove clean can make a big difference in electricity consumption.

Fill up the dishwasher before running it

The holidays can be a time for big family meals – and that means a lot of dirty dishes needing to be cleaned. An effective way to reduce the number of dishwasher cycles used, and avoid electricity usage in the process, is to make sure it has a full load each time. Be careful not to overload it though or those dishes won’t get cleaned properly. Opening the door as soon as the cycle finishes is also a good way to lower consumption by speeding up evaporation and skipping any powered drying process.

Give the gift of efficiency

Electronics like TVs, computers, or even a new washing machine are popular holiday gifts. When shopping for electronics, look for the Energy Star label. The Energy Star label indicates that a product consumes less electricity than others on the market. Smart lightbulbs and thermostats make great gifts for the tech-savvy homeowner.

Take the next step toward a cleaner energy future

At Shell Energy, we can help our customers take the next step and make a difference. Find out more about how to contribute to a cleaner energy future this holiday season with our 100% Renewable Electricity plans: https://www.shellenergy.com/Renewable