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Put that Christmas light out!
By Ross Lydall Last updated at 10:43am on 09.11.06
Going green: but is the amount of energy the lights on Regent Street use still too much?
With energy-efficient lights being strung across the West End, Christmas was supposed to be going green this year.
But as Oxford Street prepares to switch on its illuminations tonight, it seems not everyone is satisfied by the environmental credentials.
The Liberal Democrats claim that a mini forest of trees would have to be planted to compensate for the carbon emissions generated by the West End's two miles of festive lights.
Despite boasts the illuminations are greener than ever, they say that the combined "carbon footprint" from the Oxford Street and Regent Street lights would take 215 trees 100 years to "offset".
Tonight's festivities on Oxford Street - continuing a tradition begun in 1959 - will see pop band All Saints perform the official switch-on at 6pm outside Selfridges.
And Jordan and Peter Andre will perform their Christmas single.
But Mike Tuffrey, Lib-Dem group leader on the London Assembly, said: "With the Oxford Street lights being switched on earlier every year and left on during the day, they are using a significant amount of energy."
He called for event organisers, the New West End Company, to do more to power the lights by renewable electricity.
He added: "They could also offset the Oxford and Regent Street lights' carbon emissions for just over £2,000 a year, a small price to pay compared to the cost of putting on the show and one worth paying to celebrate Christmas with a clear conscience."
According to the Lib-Dems, the lights in the two streets, which remain on until 6 January, will produce 43 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
But a spokesman for the New West End company said both streets were using lowenergy bulbs with 40 per cent less emissions than before.
The Oxford Street lights will remain on 24 hours a day while those in Regent Street are on between 2pm and 2am.
They are expected to help attract about 40 million shoppers over the next six weeks.
They can sponsor a bulb under the Light Up London campaign, with proceeds going to charity. Donations can be made at: www.heart-1062.co.uk/lightuplondon or from the christmas shop and food hall at Selfridges.
Reader views (14)
Why is it always knee jerk numpties that post there opinions on here, the Lib Dems did not say they should be switched off, in fact they said £2000 would make it a carbon neutral event, and therefore have 0 impact on global warming. Rather than only 40% less than last year, which is not good enough. I would rather see £2000 spent on making it carbon neutral than whatever grossly inflated price they paid for Jordan and Peter Andre. It also raises the point, why are they being turned on so early and why are they being left on 24 hours a day on Oxford street.
Global warming and all this other "save the planet claptrap" is very real and very relevant now.
- Ben, Leicester
That's the reason why the Lib Dems will never win a General Election.
- Fred James, Worcester, UK
The Lib Dem's have really missed the mark here, The West End should be aplauded for using low energy lights, to create what is a wonderful spectacle enjoyed by millions whilst being environmentally concious.
Perhaps they should look closer to home for measures to save the plannet by ceasing to deliver the thousands of pointless leaflets they issue every year - how many trees would that account for Mr Tuffrey?
- Steve, Covent Garden
They are not very "Liberal" or "Democratic" in their miserable scrooge like suggestions. They and the Greens certainly like to scaremonger.
Perhaps they should go and visit China and put forward their back to the stoneage suggestions to the Chinese Government.
No doubt they would be put to work in an environmentally friendly way!
- Carl Kisicki, Lewisham
Yawn, the lib dems generate more global warming from their mouths than the whole of the UK do from burning fossil fuels.
- Brian, Bromley
Can someone ask Mike Tuffrey, Lib-Dem group leader on the London Assembly how many trees for how many years it would take to "offset" the "carbon footprint" from all the carbon dioxide he and all his fellow politicains keep blowing at us? Of course, it could be methane (and thus very PC) if only we could tell which end he was talking from. Plonkers the lot of them. Get a real job and leave the rest of us in peace.
- Haskey, London, SE1
I truly wish that the Lib Dems would stop their righteous 'save the planet' clap trap. I will never vote for them but I do appreciate that each party needs to spout various policies and 'new' ideas to get press attention but please! They are taking all the fun out of being alive today! All they ulitmately want to do is tax us stupid and try and justify their existence as the country's third main political party.
- Lit, London, UK
Whilst being eco-friendly may save the planet for later generations sometime in the 25th century, this sort of measure would make life not worth living today.
Although the lights celebrate a major Christian festival, I know many non-christians who love looking at the lights and discuss the themes each year. To remove sources of simple enjoyment is a very sad thing to do.
Far more energy is spent on "attractions" such as theme parks where no benefit is gained from the "waste" of carbon other than the smiles and laughter from the customers. Should we close those as well?
- Graham, Reading, England
They may have made a bit of a blunder here with this particular press release but I do believe that there is a very good underlying intention.
We all need to look at our carbon footprint these days and un-necessecary ostentatious displays, which consume large quantities of energy, are just that. Un-necessecary.
- Gen, Battersea
Many tourists visit the lights in oxford street during the winter season. No doubt to get there they have had to fly. Should we ban tourists to save on trans-atlantic air pollution?
The Lib Dems are attempting to get on the band wagon. The only problem is that, as usual, they have gone about it in entirely the wrong manner.
- Snoozie, Hoxton
It's very easy to complain, and the Lib Dems love to do just that, but what would they prefer we do? Are we being advised to scrap all Christmas lights now?
Everyone is trying to do their bit at the moment and pooh-pooing the effort in its infancy it entirely unhelpful!
Howa about they have a Go at Harrods! Are their lights all Eco friendly? Or Blackpool tower? Target the real offenders, not people trying to make a difference!
- Keith Heron, Clapham Junction
What a miserable lot the Lib Dems are! The kids love looking at the lights and all the buzz of Christmas Shopping in any town centre.
The traders like it because of the boost in sales. And it gives C Lists celebs something to do just switching them on.
- Dhanraj, Basildon, Essex
Good on the Lib Dems! Christmas has stopped being a religious festival for most people who celebrate it, so why do we NEED to have all singing and all dancing lights everywhere we go? Is it a reminder for us to spend spend spend? If we are going to celebrate Christmas we should do it properly - lights aren't necessary and are obviously having a bad effect on the environment.
- Paul, Chiswick, London
This is stupid.... if we want to stop global warning we need to make serious changes to how everyone lives in the western world, not turn off a few fairy lights. The Lib Dems are jumping onto a bandwaggon with scaremongering tactics. I shall certainly enjoy looking at all the Christmas lights this year and won't give a thought to what these wishy-washy liberals are shaking their fists about.
- Hannah Peterson, Morden
