This holiday season, the city of Fort Collins is giving the gift of sustainability by replacing traditional strands of lights with energy-efficient ones in its various holiday light displays.
By switching from incandescent bulbs to LED (light emitting diode) bulbs the city will reduce its holiday light energy use by up to 98 percent! Although LED lights cost more than conventional ones, they are generally safer and more durable, too. The holiday displays around Old Town and the First Presbyterian Church holiday tree will both be making the switch, eliminating the need for generators to keep the display lit.
Customers of Fort Collins Utilities energy company can also reduce their energy usage by recycling conventional light strands at various locations around the city (listed below) from now through December 15. When customers bring their conventional lights to these locations they will receive a $2 discount coupon per string recycled for the purchase of new LED light strands. Even better-- If customers recycle their lights during the holiday light turn-in events at the Downtown Ace Hardware and The Light Center this Saturday Nov.17 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, they will receive an additional $2 discount per strand.
Locations for holiday light recycling:
• Clay’s Ace Hardware, 1001 E. Harmony Ave, Fort Collins, CO
• Drake Hardware & Lumber, 2160 W. Drake Rd, Fort Collins, CO
• Downtown Ace Hardware, 227 S. College Ave, Fort Collins, CO
• The Light Center, 2725 S. College Ave, Fort Collins, CO
This event is being made possible in part by Waste-Not Recycling, a company located in Loveland committed to creating a sustainable environment by providing recycling products and services to businesses, including school districts, hospitals and construction companies. Most people know how and where to recycle soda cans and office paper, but what about scrap metal, ceramic tile, ink cartridges and computer hardware? For years Waste-Not has helped companies that use these types of items implement successful recycling programs, and now they are helping Northern Colorado reduce its waste this holiday season.
This is a really great idea for all cities, towns and neighborhoods across the country. We all know it's a waste of energy to leave the lights on in a room when you leave, so why do we think it's OK to leave our holiday lights on all day and/or night? It's true that Christmas only comes once a year and because of the special occasion we let it slide, but think of how much energy you could save while still partaking in traditional festivities if you switched to LED bulbs.
If you can't make it to Fort Collins for this great event, at least think about heading to your local hardware store to buy new energy-efficient lights, and encourage other residents in your building or neighborhood to do the same.
