Village of Canton lights up the holidays with energy efficient LED decorative light strings

November 24, 2009

Village of Canton, NY – November 24, 2009: With help from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Village of Canton is making the holiday season a little greener by investing in energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) decorative lights to complement its festive decorations.

Canton will use 4,350 C7 and 900 C9 energy-efficient LED decorative light bulbs on trees and light poles throughout the Village and at the municipal building area. They purchased the lights from Coakley Hardware in Canton.

Canton is using commercial grade LEDs to decorate the town, but this year consumers can find ENERGY STAR® qualified LED decorative light strings for their homes. ENERGY STAR qualified LED decorative light strings last up to 10 times longer and use 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent strands. They produce almost no heat, last for up to 11 seasons, will not overload indoor or outdoor circuits, and come in a variety of shapes, lengths and colors. LED decorative light strings are constructed with solid-state chips that convert electricity into light without using a filament or glass bulb, which makes the lights more durable and shock-resistant than traditional light strings.

“Celebrating the holiday season with bright lights is a tradition,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA, “but new LED decorative light strings add another dimension. They encourage New York’s towns and cities to reach Governor Paterson’s goal of reducing the state’s energy consumption 15 percent by the year 2015. NYSERDA is proud to be able to help communities such as yours sparkle even brighter this year while saving both energy and money through ENERGY STAR qualified LED lights.”

The energy efficient LED decorative light strings will save more than 80,000 kWh in less than three months of use. The holiday decorations will be illuminated this year between Friday, November 27 and through February 7, 2010, saving Canton approximately $14,700 each year.

Village of Canton Mayor Charlotte Ramsey said “Credit goes to Bill Coakley of Coakley Hardware in Canton who convinced us of the energy and financial savings as well as the benefit to the environment. This is an investment that will benefit the Village for years to come. We can be proud to demonstrate our role as a green community.”

New York residents can also save over $30 this holiday season by decorating their homes with a variety of energy efficient lighting choices that are easy, safe, and last longer than traditional holiday lighting. Other holiday lighting options include:

• Fiber optic holiday lights – These cool-to-the-touch lights are a good choice for paths, trees, decks, patios and vaulted ceilings because fiber optic cables make it easier to access and maintain lights in hard-to-reach areas.
• Rope lights – These lights last more than 20,000 hours and make a safe choice for decorating trees, doors and windows.
• ENERGY STAR Candelabra Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) – CFLs use about 75 percent less energy, produce the same lumens, and generally last 10 times longer than the average incandescent bulb. They can be used in candlesticks and menorahs instead of an open flame.

For a list of statewide retailers that sell energy efficient lighting products, visit NYSERDA Get Energy Smart or call toll-free 1-877-NY-SMART.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) uses innovation and technology to solve some of New York's most difficult energy and environmental problems in ways that improve the State's economy.

Contact:

Mayor Charlotte Ramsay
charlotte_ramsay@yahoo.com
Phone: 315-386-2871

Gayle Nowak gayle@haggman.com

Nancy Norman njn@nyserda.ny.gov
Phone: 866-NYSERDA ext. 3414