One way of making your Christmas season greener is by using LED Christmas lights instead of conventional Christmas lights. They are easy to find as most stores sell LED Christmas lights if they sell Christmas lights at all. Yup, it’s beginning to look like a green Christmas for everyone.

LED Christmas lights last ten times longer and consume less energy than the traditional lights. They use 75% less energy. You can imagine the electrical savings to be had when you use this type of lighting in your home.

Just like traditional string lights, LED Christmas lights come in various shapes and sizes, such as “globe,” or “mini.” They can be found in the form of nets and icicles. Whatever color you’re looking for, you should be able to find it.

LED Christmas Lights are safer than traditional lights. You can connect numerous strings together without worrying about overheating them. But you should still check the box or manual to find out the recommended number of strings that can be safely connected.

If you want to be even greener, you can opt for usingSolar Powered LED Christmas Lights. These lights harness the sun’s energy. Some models automatically light up at night. A fifty-light string might cost around $17 onAmazon. You’ll save a lot more energy and money when you purchase this type of LED string lighting.

One thing that turns some people off from LED Christmas lights is their initial cost. LED light strings are more expensive than the traditional incandescent bulbs. That’s the price you sometimes pay for more efficient and greener lighting solutions.

If you can’t spend money on LED Christmas lights and still have working incandescent lights, you can buyChristmas Light Timers for your existing lights. Timers regulate your lights’ energy usage. Not only that, they can also make your house more burglar-proof by giving the appearance that someone is at home (turning the lights on and off) when you’re actually away for the holidays.

Speaking of safety, whether you’re using LED or incandescent Christmas lights, you should observe safety first. When you unplug the lights, don’t pull on the cord. This can tear at the wiring inside. When storing them away, check for damage first. Don’t use lights that have loose connections, broken sockets, or bare wires. Store Christmas Lights, and any electrical decorations, in a dry place where they can’t be damaged by water. Keep them out of children’s reach during storage, to ensure the wires are not damaged.

Christmas is a time of celebration, family, giving, and religion. It can also be a time to think about the future of our planet and take a few extra steps to make it greener. Every lit bit counts, and lots of little steps combined can go a long ways.

There are many new green gadgets and green products available in the market today. Their uses are varied, but the one thing they all have in common is that they are friendly to the environment. A testament to the fact that people are buying green gadgets is the increasing amount of such items that can be found for sale. Here are some of the top five best-selling green products:
1. MJSI HYR270 HydroRight Drop-in Dual Flash Converter – The HydroRight Dual Flash Converter can convert your existing toilet to on that conserves water . Your household can save up to 70 percent of the water it uses for flushing. That’s an estimated 15,000 gallons of water per year, for a four-member family. The converter is easy to install, and no special tools are required for the job. The HydroRight system replaces the flapper, which is the biggest cause of leakage.

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2. Orange Guard 103 Water Based Indoor/Outdoor Home Pest Control – Orange Guard Water Based insecticide is made from orange peel extract, which makes it safe to use around food, human and pets. It works on fire ants, ants, fleas, roaches, silverfish, aphids, leaf hoppers, spider mites, scale insects, and other pests.

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3. Sunforce 50033 15-Watt Solar Charging Kit – Sunforce’s solar charging kit comes with an amorphous solar panel that can generate up to 15 watts of clean power. It is designed to be used for cabins, homes, RVs, and boats. The solar panel is weatherproof, and durable enough to withstand hailstorms. The solar charging kit comes with a 15-watt solar panel, a 7-amp solar charge controller, a durable mounting frame, and a wiring kit with accessories to aid in the installation process.

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4. Hybrid Solar Powered Flashlight with Emergency Battery Backup – In the past, the concept of a “solar flashlight” was a bit of a joke – but it’s now a reality, with devices such as the Hybrid Power Solar Powered Flashlight. It can be charged in the sun during the day, and its power will be stored in a battery for later use. Once the light is fully charged, it can hold its charge for three years. Its LED has a guaranteed lifespan of eleven continuous years. It is waterproof, for up to 80 feet of depth, and it can float was well. On a full charge, it can provide light for ten hours.

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5. Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap – Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap can be used on ornamental foliage plants, houseplants, flowering plants, fruits, and vegetables. It kills pests, such as aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs, and whiteflies. It is safe to use around people and pets.

Going solar no longer has to mean installing huge bulky solar panels on your home. Sunslate is a type of solar shingle which can be used to tile your roof in place of other conventional roofing solutions – but with an added benefit: they can also provide power to your home.

The amount of money you will be able to save on your energy bill, by using Sunslates or other solar shingles, depends upon the placement of the shingles upon your roof, the intensity of the sun in your area, and weather conditions.  But according to the video above, a solar roof could provide enough energy to power your entire home, given the right circumstances.  Watch the video to find out more.

One of the most popular Hybrid cars on the market is the Toyota Prius.  Compact and economical, it’s starting price is listed as just $22,400, putting it within the realms of reality for the everyday, albeit environmentally-conscious, individual.

The third generation of Toyota Prius, the 2010 model, has EPA ratings of 51 mpg in the city, and 49 mpg on the highway.  That’s pretty good even for a hybrid, and is a step up from earlier Toyota Prius models.

But a new pricing structure is lined up for this hybrid, and the Toyota Prius I, II, III, IV, and V are reportedly already available.

The lowest cost version is the Toyota Prius I, which should run for around $21,000, while the Prius V starts at $27,670.

It gets better though.  A solar roof package is available for the Toyota Prius II, III, and IV Models – but not for the V.

The solar roof system costs between $3,600 and $4,500, and uses solar energy to supplement the vehicle’s power and get even better mileage.  This package also includes a solar-powered ventilation system, a navigation system, a power tilt/slide moon roof, and remote-control AC (for those of us who just can’t be bothered to lean forward and turn the knob?)

With this new combination of hybrid technology and solar power, a whole new range of fuel efficiency may be possible.  The solar powered version is said to make mileages of up to 70 mpg possible under ideal circumstances.

If you live or often travel in a sunny climate, the solar roof might go a long ways in reducing your gas bill and carbon emissions.

Under some (somewhat theoretical) circumstances, the driver of a solar-powered Toyota Prius might never need to buy gas at all.

But at the very least, a driver of a solar powered Prius who uses the vehicle’s eco settings and follows basic speed guidelines can expect to stop for gas far less often – so infrequently, in fact, that he should take care not to forget to stop for gas at all.

Sources:

Toyota Beefs Up Hybrid Leader Prius

Toyota Prius

The most exciting aspect of modern gadgetry is versatility; our phones surf the web, our computers do… well, everything, and now a single source of mobile power can charge all of it.  SolarRolls from Brunton are the original flexible consumer end solar panels and still lead the pack in reliability and functionality.

The waterproof solar panel has been used for photographing remote kayaking expeditions and charging satellite phones in the most dangerous of expeditions. However, most people keep it on hand to make their laptops truly mobile and even to recharge a car battery in an emergency.

We all know the Suns solar rays are the most attainable and most effective of all renewable energy sources. Solar power has made amazing advancements from a decade ago allowing the ability to get the same amount of energy out of a quarter of the surface area required a .
Voltaic Systems Inc. has taken this amazing technological advancement and run with it by installing these highly efficient and small solar panels on a backpack, messenger bag and laptop brief case. What has more moral currency than strolling down the street charging your cell phone, camera, or laptop with a photo voltaic solar tile embedded on outside of your favorite bag.

These things are seriously lightweight and waterproof. You can search but you won’t find, any other bag that will supply you with 15 watts of power and the ability to fully charge most laptops with one day of direct sunlight. An entire day might seem like a long time, however just think about how long it will take this bad boy to charge your Ipod (3 hours) or cell phone (1 ½ hours). I for one get frustrated when I forget to plug my cell phone in at night and only to realize after walking out the door to work that I have 20 minutes of power left. Look stylish and morally superior with your earth saving Voltaic bag. I mean walking around with a wind turbine strapped to your back may scream look at how eco-friendly I am, but it doesn’t make for a comfortable inconspicuous walk to campus or the store.