Photos by James Glover II / Star staff David Mueller and Tony Misewitch talk on the lawn at the Oxnard home of Ben Moss on F Street in Oxnard. Moss has begun using energy-saving lights for his holiday display to save money and the environment.

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Brianne Souza of Oxnard checks out the lights on F Street in Oxnard, also known as Christmas Tree Lane during the holidays.

Ben Moss gestured at the diorama-like display of Christmas cheer and holiday lights on his front lawn in Oxnard's Historic District and issued a dare.

"Looking out here, what do you think?" Moss said. "I dare the average person to tell me if it's incandescent or LED."

It's the environmentalists' equivalent of the Pepsi challenge. Looking at Moss' front lawn, it's difficult to tell the difference. But amid the white snowflakes, red arches and other brightly lit fare, the skeleton of a blue stag and spiral tree burn cool to the touch when Moss pinches one between his fingers, the sign of energy-saving lights.

Moss is among a growing number of residents on Oxnard's F and G streets — better known as Christmas Tree Lane every December — and throughout Ventura County who are turning a white Christmas green.

Moss, 53, is a retired Navy contracting officer who worked on environmental cleanup projects around the globe, so he considers such technology a no-brainer.

Unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, which use a filament and glass case, LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, use electronics covered in plastic.

LEDs save money and energy consumption, Moss said. Because they don't heat up, they're safer on trees and less likely to overload a circuit.

They also help consumers save money. Moss spends about $140 a month on electricity. During Christmas, it jumps an additional $450. As manufacturers offer more displays with LEDs, he converts over. This year it was the stag, the spiral tree and several multi-colored strands that drape his shrubbery. With such minor changes, he figures his bill will drop about $75.

"But it's not just money," he said. "It's the idea that we help the environment."

Many others seem inspired by former Vice President Al Gore's consciousness-raising effort to reduce global warming, said Joe Yahner, Ventura's environmental services supervisor.

This year, Ventura and Thousand Oaks offered residents the chance to exchange up to two strands of incandescent lights for those with LEDs, which draw 4 watts each.

"We did it last year, and it didn't seem like there was that much of a demand," Yahner said.

But after two television news stations reported on the exchange program, they went like wildfire, Yahner said.

"Last year people were thinking about it," Yahner said, "but this year, we're just kind of inundated with going-green marketing and stories."

Southern California Edison couldn't be happier with this response. The energy giant is promoting greener technology, using reduction of carbon footprint as a key selling point, said Rudy Gonzales, a company spokesman.

Edison promotes LEDs and compact fluorescent light bulbs, which also draw significantly less power than incandescent bulbs.

While some consumers fret that new technology costs more, Edison counters they will save money in the long run, Gonzales said.

"They last five times longer, and they use significantly less electricity," he said of energy saving lights.

"If every home in California could change five bulbs, it would be the equivalent of taking 400,000 cars off the road."

Prices, in fact, are dropping, said Cheryl Collart, executive director of the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance.

The alliance provided the 70-light LED strands for the exchange program. Two years ago, they sold for $20 a strand.

Today, they sell for $8 each, Collart said.

Collart hopes the exchange program inspires consumers to change household lights and consider other ways of saving energy year round.

For instance, chargers for cell phones and MP3 players suck electricity while plugged in, even when they're not charging anything, Collart said. So do household appliances such as coffee makers with clocks.

Collart suggested consumers unplug them when not in use.

"Most people don't know how much energy they consume," Collart said, "because we're just using it all the time."

Light show

The holiday lights are on at Oxnard's Christmas Tree Lane for the 15th year. More than 140 homes on F and G streets between Fifth Street and Doris Avenue participate in the festivities.

Every year, the elaborate decorations — including camels, manger scenes, reindeer hauling Santa from a chimney and light shows that respond to music — draw thousands of people from as far as Hollywood.

The displays will be up through Christmas Day.