The Christmas tree lights already are shining in many town squares, but I was glad to see at least one city is using bicycle-power to keep its árbol de Navidad illuminated.
The warmth generated at the Mexican city park might not come from the Christmas lights on the tree, but the 15 volunteers who are pedaling at its base.
Visitors are pedaling to keep the tree lit in the city of Puebla, which is hosting a “Sustainable Christmas” fair this year.
The bicycles are attached to generators that charge two batteries that supply the electricity to light 8,000 LED lights on the tree. Pedaling the bikes at a rate of 12 to 19 mph for 8 hours charges the batteries to keep the tree lit all night.
There's a special Christmas carol broadcast from the tree. A representative from CocoLab told the wire services that the tree plays a song to convey the idea that people can work together to generate savings and benefits for the environment.
Copenhagen
Puebla isn't the first city to light a Christmas tree with pedal power. Not surprisingly, Copenhagen created a bicycle-powered Christmas tree two years ago. It also used 15 bicycles, but no batteries. That meant sections of the tree only remained lit while people pedaled (see video above).
A pedal-powered Christmas tree also has appeared at the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland in London, where the public pedaled 10 bicycles to light 2,400 LED lights on a tree.
This idea could become a Christmas tradition in sustainable households, like this one in ubergizmo. All you need is a bicycle with a training stand, or an exercise bike, a fixed magnet electric motor attached to the spinning wheel, and someone ready to burn off some egg nog.
Recent Comments