As cities around the world bemoan their “different Christmas’’ this year due to the Covid-19 restrictions, Budapest is putting its money where its mouth is, even while decorating streets for the winter holidays. Prioritizing environmental protection, Budapesti Dísz- és Közvilágítási Kft (BDK), a company co-owned by Budapest Municipality and energy supplier Budapesti Elektromos Művek Nyrt, will brighten the public spaces of the Hungarian capital with new, eco-friendly decorations from the first Sunday of Advent, 29 November.
Breaking the news on his Facebook page, Mayor Gergely Karácsony said that for the first time ever, the Budapest Christmas decorations have been made locally of degradable and recyclable materials, using plastic, aluminium, as well as sugar cane. Other important considerations include tree preservation and energy efficiency.
Sparing trees
In previous years, light strings wrapped in trees on Andrássy street and Városháza park were used to create the spirit of Christmas. However, winding up and unwinding the light strings caused damage to the not very healthy trees, thus shortening their lifespan. This practice will now be avoided.
20 trees in the Town Hall Park will be adorned with a total of 440 red hearts, golden bells and spherical ornaments. On the section of Andrássy street from Deák Ferenc square to Oktogon, there will be 182 ornaments containing about 60 percent completely organic materials. The organic materials used for the decorations at the two sites are biodegradable or can be recycled at the end of their life cycle, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the capital.
Saving energy
The power consumption of all illuminated ornaments at the two locations will be 8,5 kW, or 40 percent less compared to previous years. In the redesigned Vörösmarty Square, colourful ribbon spheres will evoke a decorated Christmas tree. On the elliptical columns in the middle of the square and around the Lion Fountain, will be installed a total of 16 smaller versions of the ribbon ornaments previously found on the high columns of the square, creating cosier Christmas atmosphere.
Source: TheMayor.EU
