Copenhagen's Christmas tree is lit by pedal-power
Copenhagen has always been particularly bike-friendly - they were proposing free bikes to get around way before other cities - but this is taking things one step further.
As Martin LaMonica said in his CNET Green Tech article: "When you're the host city for international climate change negotiations, using energy-efficient LED lights on the Christmas tree apparently isn't enough".
The lights decorating the traditional 17-metre high Christmas tree in Copenhagen's City Hall Square are being powered by people, rather than electricity. Some 15 bicycles have been set up, which, when pedaled by volunteers, light up the 700 LED bulbs on the tree. The Christmas tree went up on Sunday 29 November during a special opening ceremony. Even then, the lights were being powered by the bicycles, according to a representative from the city of Copenhagen. Children, a mayor, and international VIPs joined in the pedaling during the opening ceremony, he added.

Photo credit: Christian Alsing, Copenhagen Media Center
The carbon-low approach to lighting the traditional Christmas tree is one of the attractions being organized for COP15, the UN Copenhagen Climate Summit, which started last week.
energy
| bicycle
| copenhagen
| leds lighting
