Christmas lighting and responsible consumption (11/1/2001)

In the streets of Palma a total of 157,000 light bulbs were installed, which since November 29 until the Three Kings day (January 6) have represented a consumption of 1,281.12 MWh. In those days, Palma has consumed the total of a whole year for towns like Banyalbufar, Lloret or Buger, and more than that of Estellencs or Costitx. The constant increase in energy consumption, which is favoured by the promotion of superfluous consumption such as the Christmas lights, which has given off 525.3 tons of CO2 in a short period of time, contradicts the principals of the Kyoto Protocol to detain the climatic change.

The ecological organisation considers that the consumption of power is one of the most important causes of environment problems worldwide and that in a coastal area in the centre of the Mediterranean such as ours, the atmospheric contamination, acid rain and climatic changes can have serious consequences for hydric resources, such as agriculture, woodland areas and the preservation of the coast.

According to the GOB, it is fundamental to reduce the emission of contaminating gasses to the atmosphere and therefore have asked the Palma Town Council to give a good example of responsible consumption and not to light the christmas lights for the Fiestas of Sant Sebastia.