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"What a piece of crap": Southwest city pedals up for the Christmas lights

2022-11-24T16:43:55.240Z


Christmas market and saving energy don't really go together. That's why the city administration in Menges (Sigmaringen district) came up with something: The city Christmas tree only lights up when people are cycling.


Christmas market and saving energy don't really go together.

That's why the city administration in Menges (Sigmaringen district) came up with something: The city Christmas tree only lights up when people are cycling.

Volumes - After the Christmas markets had to be canceled in the past two years due to Corona, the magic of stalls is returning in most cities this winter.

In addition to gingerbread, roasted almonds and mulled wine, fairy lights and brightly lit Christmas trees are also part of the holiday season for many.

But saving energy is the order of the day.

The cost of electricity has not only increased for the end consumer, but also for the municipalities.

For this reason, some Christmas markets in the Stuttgart region do not have large illuminations or leave out certain attractions.

So that their Christmas trees can shine in their full splendor despite the energy crisis, the city of Mengen (Sigmaringen district) in Baden-Württemberg has come up with something special: With a lot of leg strength and a bicycle, the lights on the city trees will be on from November 21st until Sunday , December 4th, lit up.

According to the city administration, two bicycles were set up in front of the city hall for this purpose.

These in turn generate electricity with a special device, as reported

by BW24

.

City bikes for the Christmas lights: idea came "over a beer after work"

Theoretically, each of the 10,000 residents can pedal for a contemplative mood.

But even if nobody turns up spontaneously, the Christmas tree shines.

Because Menge's triathletes have agreed to pedal every day from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. so that it lights up in front of the town hall.

On the days of the Christmas market, the athletes swing into the saddle for the Christmas tree at the Martinskirche during the market hours, the city of Mengen writes in a post on its own profile.

Check out this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fuhrmännle Menges (@stadt_menges)

The city administration came up with the idea "over an after-work beer with our building manager," as Mayor Stefan Bubeck told

SWR

.

But the effects of the energy crisis are not only evident on the Christmas tree.

This year, the city has completely dispensed with the traditional Christmas lights on the main street.

And this not only saves electricity, but also a lot of money.

According to the city administration, the construction and dismantling alone would have cost around 8,000 euros.

In addition, the fairy lights would have consumed around 2,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, which is the equivalent of around 600 euros.

"Just embarrassing": Numerous Facebook users are not convinced of the idea

Opinions on the lighting concept for the city in Baden-Württemberg are divided on the Internet.

"There are many ways to save electricity, but not on the Christmas tree at Christmas time," writes a user on Facebook.

With comments like "what nonsense, people are getting more and more stupid", "just embarrassing" or "here the last generation can kick", other users are also upset about the idea.

But there are also words of praise.

"Great idea," writes one woman, for example.

"I would be there immediately if we had that," comments another user.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-11-24

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