Wec Acquisition : Holiday Gift Ideas from Wisconsin Public Service

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For Release: 12/07/2015

Green Bay, WI - Save money, be safe, improve the environment and give someone a little energy are Wisconsin Public Service's (WPS) holiday gift ideas to consider for that someone special this holiday season.

Gifts of Safety - WPS suggests a gift of a carbon monoxide (CO) and/or smoke detector. The release of CO can result from improper combustion of fuels like wood, propane, oil, natural gas, kerosene or gasoline. Lethal levels of CO can result if heating equipment is not vented or working properly.

A properly working CO detector can warn residents of CO buildup and cost between $20 and $70, depending on the type, style and model. There are combination CO and smoke detectors and battery operated and hard-wired detectors. Operation manuals are included to assist in proper installation, location and operation. A regularly scheduled test of each unit is advised to make sure they produce an audible warning sound and are working properly.

Gift of Energy - The perfect gift idea for the holidays is a WPS Energy Gift Certificate. Available in any amount, the gift certificates can be purchased online at the WPS website : access 'Gift Certificates.' They can be purchased online or printed, filled out and mailed to WPS. http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/home/pdf/certificates.pdf

About 2,075 WPS Energy Gift Certificates were purchased during last year's holiday season, with the average amount being $30 each. The gift certificates are used to help recipients pay for their electric and natural gas bill. Recipients can include individual customers or schools, congregations, or community service organizations and agencies.

WPS suggests purchasing by December 8th to make sure the certificate is received by Christmas Day.

Saving Money on Holiday Lighting - WPS suggests proper retirement and disposal of your older inefficient holiday lighting strings and replace them with light-emitting-diode (LED) lights as they use up to 90 percent less energy and last up to ten times longer than standard bulbs, produce almost no heat and are very durable. The lights have an encased semi-conductor chip that provides a bright light using significantly less electricity than a conventional filament bulb.
The monthly operational cost of a single string of 100 LED lights is about 10 cents, compared to conventional filament lights that cost about $1.00. Older standard big bulbs get very hot with an energy cost of about $2.50. LED light strings are more expensive to purchase than traditional filament lights, but operational costs for LED's are much lower. LED lights come in strings, icicle sets, net style lighting and are now used in animated holiday displays.

WPS also suggests a programmable on/off timer switch so light displays will turn on and off at a specific time. This avoids having lights on all night or during the day. A side benefit of the automatic timer is security as lights go on making it look like someone is home when residents may be away.

To figure out how much your display will cost to operate, the WPS website includes a holiday lighting cost calculator: http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/home/holiday_calculator.aspx

Input the number and style of lights, the hours per day used and the calculator will provide a daily and monthly operational cost estimate.

Energy Gift Basket - WPS suggests putting it all together into an Energy Gift Basket that includes a number of energy saving ideas that can easily fit into a small decorative basket. WPS Energy Gift Certificates, new LED style lighting or compact fluorescent energy efficient light bulbs to replace old incandescent bulbs, weather stripping for around doors and windows, window insulator kits and a CO/Smoke Detector are 'energy smart' gift basket stuffers that make for a festive, very useful and potentially life-saving gift.

For more helpful information, WPS includes a number of lighting, heating, safety and entertaining tips on the company's website: http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/ On this website you will find additional info on lighting, entertaining, tips on efficient heating and safety.