With clouds rolling in, Tom Reinbolt of Cox Communications hangs decorations on a light pole in Winterhaven, where light-emitting diodes will slash energy use this year.

KELLY PRESNELL / Arizona Daily Star

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True, many Winterhaven residents still cherish their grassy lawns, but perhaps even Al Gore would be pleased with the eco-friendly evolution taking place in Tucson's traditional holiday festival.

The old seven-watt glass bulbs that decorated several poles and more than 150 community trees along the neighborhood's streets were nearing 30 years of age, and neighborhood leaders were concerned about fire hazards, given the fact they would spark or smoke on occasion. They are being replaced with 1,200 strands of LEDs, light-emitting-diode decorations, promising a 98 percent reduction of energy consumption.

The switch is expected to translate into a cut of more than 30,000 pounds of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That's roughly the equivalent of the carbon production of eight average-sized Tucson homes over the course of a year.

Greater energy efficiency translates into lower electric bills — an important consideration given that residents pay not only for their own individual holiday light displays but also for lighting any community trees by their houses.

Jeff Miller, a 35-year-old project manager who sits on the neighborhood board, recently used a wattage meter to try to gauge what the energy savings might be. He found that a 50-light strand of the old-style glass bulbs drew 330 watts of power. A 50-light LED strand, meanwhile, drew only three watts. Since he has only one of the smaller community trees, he estimates that will translate into a saving of about $20 for his household over the three weeks of the festival. Residents with the larger trees may save more.

Although the overall number of lights will be the same, visitors may notice a difference. As Miller describes it, the lights will not be as bright, although he says the colors are more brilliant. Residents will assess how it looks this year and tinker with the mix next season to see if more lights might be needed and where.

Joe Salkowski, a spokesman for Tucson Electric Power, declined to say how much TEP paid for the new lights. But, he said, the utility company looked at the project as an educational opportunity, especially since visitors will see signs and fliers explaining the change.

"What's great about these lights is that they really don't require any sacrifice," Salkowski said, noting that folks may grumble about turning up their thermostats in the summer because it decreases their comfort level. "Here, they don't sacrifice anything and they can still make a difference for the environment."

While the bulbs are more costly — Salkowski said he bought a strand of 100 for $11 at Costco for his own personal use — they also boast a 100,000-hour burn time, so they will last longer.

The neighborhood is also making some safety changes.

To help reduce congestion one hayride vendor was eliminated, so pedestrians will dodge fewer carriages. Trees were trimmed so the branches won't snag on the carriages, and the carriages were equipped with hydraulic brakes so they can be stopped in case the horses spook.

Jim Tofel, president of the homeowners association, said roughly 80 percent of Winterhaven residents will participate in the festival this year.

While there will be plenty of creative displays throughout the neighborhood, visitors may notice that one of the more elaborate displays will be simpler this year.

The home of Stanley and Shirley Brown, which lies at the hub of activity at Christmas and Kleindale, is forgoing the all-out Santa hoedown display from last year and will instead have a simple display using inspirational quotes to highlight love, peace and understanding.

"My parents are in their 70s, and it's a lot of work to put on those big displays. We always knew at some point we would probably have to scale back to a more manageable level," said Jordan Brown, a 39-year-old real estate investor. "This may be that more manageable level."

Some media reports that vandalism triggered the scale-back were overblown, Brown said.

A few houses down the street, Richard Newton, 70, said vandals stole his Christmas display, valued at about $1,000, back in the 1970s. He got all of the items back. And he said that while small things happen occasionally, vandalism has been fairly rare overall.

Aside from having off-duty police officers doing traffic control during the festival, the neighborhood also hired a security firm to patrol at night.

But for Nancy Smith, ,61, the festival is less about carbon dioxide calculations and security considerations than the memories and feelings it evokes.

She plans to put up a simple display of lights and three Christmas trees in the front yard of the home she grew up in on Kleindale Road. She hasn't missed a year since 1954.

"It's tradition. We just love it. I can't imagine not participating. What would Christmas be without the decorations?"

Nominate your house for our interactive guide at holidaylights.azstarnet.com