LEDs lead way for Christmas lights

In 2007, the government swapped traditional lighting on the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., for LED lights. (Marvin Joseph/Washington Post/File 2007)

MILWAUKEE - Rather than warmth and good cheer, the twinkle and glow of homes festooned with Christmas lights reminds Adam Siegel of carbon emissions and global warming.

Siegel insists he is not a Grinch, only green.

"You can have a beautiful display, a gorgeous display, you can even have massive display, but why do it in a wasteful way?" said Siegel, a blogger from McLean, Va.

There are signs that after several years of foundering holiday sales for energy efficient LED lighting, more people feel the same way.

Manufacturers and retailers nationwide report surprisingly brisk sales even during an economic downturn. For example, lightbulb maker OSRAM Sylvania said it doubled its LED sales since last year to between 15 million and 20 million units.

LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, can be three times more expensive than traditional incandescent lights but they use 90 percent less energy, produce less heat, and last longer.

Siegel has done the math on his blog, GetEnergySmartNow .com, which is not affiliated with any energy or lighting company. He calculates that an average string of LED lights saves enough energy to pay for itself in a year.

Calculations by other independent researchers suggest the break-even point could be two to three years, depending on how long the lights are left on.