Greener Christmas – keep the light levels down

Christmas decorations that light up are a way of warding off the darkness at the darkest part of the year. They are an antidote to short days and grim, wintery weather, and that’s fair enough, but less, is definitely more.

Consider the raw materials that go into making lights and the wires that connect them. Consider the energy required to power them. Consider the light pollution if you put a lot of them up outside. Consider how that extra light may impact on those around you, and also on wild things.

I’m probably preaching to the converted here. I find it hard to imagine Druids plastering the outsides of their homes in flashing lights made out of plastic, or running up the electric bills to burn brightly through the night.

I hate the wasteful excess of it all, and the ones that flash I find maddening. How do we persuade people to give up on this? I can understand the urge to have a bit of light, cheer and prettiness. But the mad excesses (yes, I have a near neighbour who does this) confuses me. Beyond a certain level, it’s just invasive. I can see no joy in it. I don’t know how to persuade people whose motives make so little sense to me, so if you have any insights, please pile into the comments.