‘Too many Christmas lights bad for environment’

MANILA, Philippines –  Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara has urged malls and other commercial establishments, government offices and the general public to avoid using too many Christmas lights to save electricity and help mitigate the effects of global warming.

“I don’t want to play the Grinch this Christmas season but we can celebrate the birth of our dear Jesus by helping save our planet,” he said.

“The use of Christmas decor that use electricity should be minimized because lights are among the top greenhouse gas contributors in our planet.”

Citing studies, Angara said lights contribute a staggering 24.6 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions around the world, making them the biggest contributor to global warming.

Angara said aside from worsening global warming, the lavish use of Christmas lights and other electricity-fed Christmas decor is also causing increased demand for oil because many of the country’s power generators are still running on diesel and therefore emit carbon dioxide, one of the world’s biggest air pollutants.

“We are not just contributing to the destruction of our planet,” he said. “We are also providing these oil companies the best reason to jack up their prices.”

Angara said many of Metro Manila’s commercial districts and several local governments have begun putting up Christmas trees, lanterns and other decor in different shapes and sizes, most of which are adorned with colorful Christmas lights.

In some commercial districts in Metro Manila, entire road stretches are lit with Christmas lights. Even buildings and homes in some exclusive subdivisions are adorned with millions of these beautiful lights, he said.

Angara reminded owners of malls and other establishments, buildings and homes that Christmas lights are also fire hazards.

Many people have died and property worth billions have been lost due to fire caused by Christmas lights, he added. –Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star)