Veloviews for December 2, 2022 – Budapest Christmas Tree Powered by Solar and Pedalers

To say that 2022 has been complicated by the war in Ukraine is an understatement. The effects of Putin’s ridiculous war have significantly impacted the world economy, especially in Europe where energy costs have doubled.

Christmas Lights Powered By Solar and a Bike

In order to raise awareness about the energy crisis and to get residents in the Christmas spirit, the mayor of Budapest has installed solar panels to light the town square. And, yes, he has done something else as well.

The town square Christmas tree is connected to a battery that is charged by bicycle power, according to this article posted on the Reuters website.

The Christmas tree in Budapest’s square is 6 meters high (about 20 feet high). In order for the tree to light, passers-by are encouraged to hop on an installed bike and pedal.

A Workout Rewarded by Beautiful Lights

If you choose to get on the bike, however, be prepared for a bit of a workout. In fact, you might be able to forego the need for any hot chocolate (or another hot beverage) to warm up afterward.

A few participants stated that you have to pedal pretty hard, and for more than a few minutes, to get the tree to light fully. Just as a passing note, Budapest’s square is illuminated every holiday season.

This year is an experiment to see how residents might adapt to sustainable power. So far, the response has been good, and people, especially kids, enjoy the workout reward of festive lights when they come on.

Last Thoughts

What Budapest’s mayor has done may be viewed as extreme. However, I don’t think it is extreme at all but a lovely and important thing.

Using solar panels to light up Budapest’s town square and its Christmas tree are small steps to confronting climate change. Maybe it takes an experiment such as this to Illustrate that we will all need to change the way we use energy in the future.

Are you using solar panels for anything in your home? How about a bicycle connected to a battery to power your Christmas tree or other devices? Please like, share, and comment if you enjoyed this post. Have a great weekend everyone!!