Federal Government Bans Popular Christmas Decoration in Montana

When I think of holiday decorations, my first thought is Clark Griswold's majestic display of 25,000 twinkling incandescent lights. A light display so huge that it nearly took down the power grid for the city of Chicago. A Christmas display that could easily be seen from space. That's what I think of when I ponder a quality holiday display.

That movie was released in 1989. A lot has changed since. Now, everyone is moving towards a more "GREEN" lifestyle. Energy efficiency is a growing trend. In fact, according to a new federal ban, Clark Griswold would be fined or arrested for putting up his holiday decorations. Well, NOT REALLY, but his display was a little overkill for the power grid.

With Montana being so far north, our winter nights are much longer than in other parts of the country. We not only enjoy our holiday lights, but they are necessary to keep us from going crazy in the dark.

Just this past year, the Federal Government has put a BAN on incandescent lights. With a goal of switching everyone over to the more efficient LED lights.

According to The Hill

The DOE claims that discontinuing inefficient incandescent lights will save Americans nearly $3 billion yearly and substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions over 30 years. Swapping out the bulbs is projected to cut planet-warming carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over the next 30 years, an amount equivalent to emissions generated by 28 million homes in one year.

The ban only applies to the sale of incandescent lights. This means you are not going to get a ticket for putting up your twinkling Griswold display. Not unless your neighbor is a complete Grinch and is looking for ways to harass you. But Montana retailers could face a fine of over $500 per light bulb if caught selling incandescent lights.