A lot of energy goes to waste when it comes to Christmas lighting – think your tree or decorations. This doesn’t mean you have to remove your pretty lights, but you can enjoy them in much more eco-friendly ways. Here are some tips.
Recycle Items into Light
Those old plastic bottles you no longer use can become colorful lights for your Christmas party. There are many ways you can make a solar bottle bulb, with various sites offering instructions on how to make use of plastic bottles. Check out Wikihow.com for instructions.
Build a Chandelier out of Ribbons
Ribbon chandeliers are creative fun for you and the kids to make, plus they add a bit of style to otherwise plain lighting. All you need are two old picture frames, with one being slightly larger than the other, and lots of ribbons. Tie the ribbons all over the larger picture frame so that you have long strands. Then tie the larger frame to the smaller one with string – be sure to tie them in three places so that they will hang in a two-tier design just like a chandelier. Hang the picture frames over a light fixture that you already have, so that the light will shine through the ribbons. You could use streamers instead of ribbons if you want.
Choose LED
Not only cheaper than regular bulbs, LEDs don’t burn out and remain cool, so they’re not a fire hazard. According to the Eco Habits website, LEDs use 3 to 33 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can burn for thousands of hours! LEDs are a must for your Christmas, especially when it comes to lighting up the tree.
Use Candles
When getting into the Christmas spirit, you’ll probably want to light up more than just the Christmas tree. Consider using candles to brighten up other areas of the home. Make sure the candles are eco-friendly, such as hand-crafted soy candles available from Cape Town Candle Company. You can add festive fun to your candles by decorating them with ribbons or pretty paper.
