All is bright (and costs less) with LEDs

Christmas will be greener this year in a growing number of cities and shopping districts that are saving electricity by using low-energy lights in holiday displays.

Mason, Mich., spent about $1,000 this year on 1,200 light-emitting diodes for its live tree on the courthouse lawn, says Doug Klein of the Mason Area Chamber of Commerce. That's more than double the 500 incandescent bulbs it had used, and he expects the electric bill to drop from $900 to $600 for the season.

"The LEDs have a longer life, and they use less electricity," Klein says. "They'll pay for themselves."

The nation's most famous trees are joining the trend. For the first time, the tree at New York City's Rockefeller Center will be festooned with 30,000 LEDs, spokeswoman Iva Benson says. It will be lit next Wednesday. At the request of the White House and National Park Service, the National Christmas Tree in Washington also is being outfitted with LEDs for the first time. A 1,000-foot red garland and 42-inch star topper also feature LEDs. The tree lighting is Dec. 6.

LEDs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs but last longer, says Philip C. Curtis of holidayleds.com. Tom Reddoch of the Electric Power Research Institute tested both kinds of lights and found that LEDs are "substantially more efficient than incandescent lights."

A 50-light string of LEDs uses 2 watts of power, Reddoch says, and the same size string of mini incandescent bulbs uses 11.5 watts. "Because LEDs are brighter, fewer strings could be required," he says.

Elsewhere:

• Monroe, Ga., is draping buildings and trees with LEDs for the first time and expects to pay just $146 to power them this season.

"Some people are saying if we're using that little energy, why not keep them up all year long," says Stacy Jones of the Downtown Development Authority.

• About 35 percent of the 1 million lights the Toledo, Ohio, Zoo uses each holiday season are LEDs, spokeswoman Andi Norman says. A 90-foot tree with 32,000 LEDs was lit Friday.

"We're a conservation organization, so we try to leave less of an environmental imprint," she says.

• Old Colorado City, a historic district in Colorado Springs, is using LEDs this year and expects an electric bill of just $26, spokeswoman Nancy Stovall says.

• Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati also is making the switch for its 40-foot tree. "We want to conserve resources and do the right thing," spokeswoman Suzanne Schindler says.

• The Shops at Northfield Stapleton in Denver and Promenade Bolingbrook near Chicago plan giant music and light shows with 250,000 LEDs at each, says Lindsey Corsi of Forest City Enterprises. "We knew we couldn't do a Christmas program without a sustainable element," she says.

• The Cut Bank, Mont., Chamber of Commerce asked residents and businesses to chip in cash to help buy LEDs for trees on the courthouse lawn. Chamber president LeAnne Kavanagh says $3,200 has been donated so far — enough to buy LEDs for seven of the 16 trees. In the next three years, the group hopes to buy LEDs for the rest of the trees and to string across Main Street.