As part of our commitment to conservation, Toronto Hydro-Electric System once again teamed up with Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) and the City of Toronto’s Cavalcade of Lights to present the 2008 Festive Light Exchange. Over the course of 6 weeks, City of Toronto residents were encouraged to bring two strings of old incandescent seasonal lights to 19 local events throughout the city in exchange for a string of energy efficient LED lights.

Throughout the program, 18,000 strings of incandescent lights were collected and 9,400 boxes of seasonal LED lights were handed out. seasonal LED lights use up to 95% less electricity than incandescent lights, The 2008 Festive Light Exchange program helped take 2 megawatts off the grid. That’s the equivalent of 1,360 houses!

The Benefits of Decorating with LED Lights

• They use up to 95% less electricity, produce virtually no heat and generate more light per watt than traditional incandescent lights.
• They have a lifespan of 20-30 years.
• The chips that convert electricity to light are encapsulated in solid plastic, rather than being cased in a glass bulb, making them virtually unbreakable.