Greener lights glow on State House tree

The Christmas tree at the State House was illuminated by 5,000 superefficient light-emitting diodes instead of traditional incandescent bulbs. The LEDs will save hundreds of dollars. (Elise Amendola/associated press)

The 60-foot blue spruce wasn't the only green feature at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony yesterday on the State House lawn.

When Governor Deval Patrick threw the ceremonial switch, the tree was illuminated by 5,000 superefficient light-emitting diodes instead of traditional incandescent bulbs. The LEDs will save the state hundreds of dollars over the next 30 days, slashing the energy needed to light the tree to 85 kilowatts from 5,140 kilowatts, the Patrick administration said.

The administration says the low-energy Christmas tree is part of the governor's effort to implement higher-efficiency standards in state government. The Bureau of State Office Buildings estimated that the LEDs will keep 4,700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The LEDs are also much more durable than the old lights, and unlike many incandescent bulbs, do not have to be replaced each year, officials said.

Patrick was joined on the State House lawn by state officials and Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, siblings from Norwell who founded the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. The festivities also included performances by Shepherd Hill Regional High School Women's Chorus, a female a cappella trio from Boston, and a visit from Santa Claus.