Shining lights at Christmas are simply part of it for many, especially in the dark season. Fairy lights, festively illuminated facades and trees are ill-fated this year.
Berlin – Many municipalities and cities are already turning off the lights. Buildings and monuments, otherwise brightly lit, stand in the dark. Now the Christmas lights should be on the collar, if the German Environmental Aid has its way. “This winter it should be a matter of course that both the Christmas lights in cities and those in houses and apartments will be dispensed with,” said Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch of the editorial network Germany on Monday.
“In view of the war in Ukraine, the energy shortage, but also for reasons of climate protection, we should pause for a moment,” he explained. Resch pointed out the power consumption.
Private Christmas lights consume vast amounts of electricity
“The private lighting orgies alone cause a power consumption of over 600 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year – as much as a medium-sized city with 400,000 inhabitants consumes in a year.”
Saving energy at Christmas? One lighted tree per city?
Resch suggested one illuminated tree per city and municipality. “Perhaps this can be reduced to one illuminated tree per community. Consciously doing without here, saving and showing solidarity could even make this Christmas season a very special one.”
Nationwide energy saving rules for companies and private individuals have been in force since September 1st. (ml/dpa)
