Switching on the Green Christmas Lights

Posted on Sat Dec 1 2007

By: Ianto Everett in Climate Change, Solar Power

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Cities around the world have started switching on their Christmas lights, but the spike in energy use may be a little less this year thanks to the use of LED lights.

LED lights use around 90% less energy than incandescent lights, are recyclable and have a long life expectancy, making them a good eco-friendly option - which is the reason why cities such as Tokyo, Toronto and Denver have all made the green switch in recent years, but for some cities, LEDs aren't the only way to green up Christmas.

As well as having switched to LEDs, the Christmas lights in Oxford Street, Regent Street and much of London's West End this year will be carbon offset by the carbon charity PURE. The city has in the past also powered its Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lights with a hydrogen power cell - but New York looks set to be the first major city to boast solar powered Christmas lights.

This week New York's mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, announced that a solar energy roof will be installed on the Rockefeller Center, which by Christmas 2008, will help power the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree’s 30,000 LED lights.

To green up the Christmas tree further, a hand saw, rather than a power saw, was used to cut the tree this year, and at the end of the holiday season the tree will be milled, treated and made into lumber to be used by Habitat for Humanity.

The green measures in New York are also aimed at inspiring the 500,000 New Yorkers and tourists that visit the tree each day to green up their Christmas too - and although installing a solar roof may be a bit of a stretch, the switch to LED Christmas lights is a simple step we can all take.

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