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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Are you considering new lights for your tree this holiday season? If you are, or if you’re just curious about LED (light-emitting diodes) lights, stop by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) headquarters from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Thursday, December 3 for the kickoff of the agency’s Energy Tree display.
The display will allow attendees to provide the power, via a hand crank, to light up a traditional 100-bulb incandescent tree and then an 800-plus light, 35-foot tall LED tree, draped to the side of the DEP building. Turning the crank will show the difference in the amount of electricity it takes to illuminate each tree.
DEP staff will be on hand to answer questions and pass out refreshments. A special visitor – from the North Pole – will be attending as well, so bring the children and camera.
LED lights use 90 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent lights and last up to 50,000 hours. Less energy use equals less pollution. Other advantages of LED holiday lights include:
• The ability to connect up to 43 premium strands, compared to five premium strands of incandescent lights;
• Since their color is in the diode and plastic, the lights will never fade, chip or peel like traditional lights can;
• LEDs operate at lower temperatures reducing fire risk indoors and out;
• While LED holiday lighting can be more expensive initially than traditional incandescent string lighting, LED lights will pay for themselves in a few seasons in terms of durability and lower power costs.
The LED display will be on the front of the DEP headquarters building, located at 601 57th Street, S.E., Charleston, across from The Shoppes at Kanawha, and will be available from 6 to 9 p.m. every evening through January 8, 2016.
For more DEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, be sure to connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.” For specific information about our REAP (Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan), West Virginia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), West Virginia Watershed Improvement Branch, Youth Environmental Program and Human Resources initiatives, connect on Facebook.