europe: Sober or luminous? Europe facing holidays during the energy crisis
In cities across Europe, officials are wrestling with a choice as energy prices have risen due to Russia’s war in Ukraine: dim the Christmas lights to send an energy-saving message. energy and solidarity with citizens squeezed by higher utility bills and inflation, while protecting public coffers.
Or let the lights shine in a message of defiance after two years of pandemic-suppressed Christmas seasons, illuminating cities with holiday cheer that retailers hope will loosen people’s purse strings.
“If they take the lights down, might as well turn off Christmas,” said Estrella Puerto, who sells traditional Spanish mantillas, or women’s veils, in a small shop in Granada, Spain, and says the Christmas decorations attract people. business. Fewer lights twinkle from the central tree at Strasbourg’s famous Christmas market, which attracts 2 million people each year, as the French city seeks to cut public energy use by 10% this year. From Paris to London, city authorities are limiting lighting hours during holidays, and many have switched to more energy-efficient LED lights or renewable energy sources.
London’s Oxford Street shopping district hopes to cut its energy consumption by two-thirds by limiting its lights to 3pm-11pm and installing LED bulbs.
“Ecologically speaking, this is the only real solution,” said Marie Breguet, 26, a resident of Paris, as she strolled the Champs-Elysées, which is only lit until 11:45 p.m., instead of 2 a.m. like Christmases past.
“War and energy shortage are a reality. No one will be harmed by a little less illumination this year.”