Vigo responds to 'New York Times' over Christmas light climate change criticisms

A GALICIA mayor has 'thanked' a daily broadsheet in New York for criticising the city's Christmas lights as 'contributing to climate change', as its comments not only provided an opportunity to clarify the situation, but also put the brightly-illuminated streets on the international map.

Abel Caballero, who runs the city of Vigo (Pontevedra province), where the festive lighting was named by the travel website Holidayguru as the third-best in the whole of Spain, was slammed by The New York Times.

“Whilst a Spanish city lights up for Christmas, so does a debate,” the article is titled.

“The holiday light show in the industrial hub of Vigo is a draw for tourists. But some have begun to wonder: How much is too much?”

According to the article, Caballero joked that he was expecting a call from his counterpart across the pond, Bill de Blasio, 'telling him that New Yorkers were feeling envious' after promising that the Vigo illuminations would 'outshine' the Big Apple, which lies directly due east from Galicia.

It refers to Caballero, 73, having spent €1 million on Christmas lights 'at a time when environmentalists want mayors […] to reduce light pollution and the energy consumption required to fuel it'.

“One thing is clear: if [New York mayor] Mr de Blasio did not know about them before, he certainly knows about the Vigo lights now,” Caballero said in response, confirming he had experienced 'massive support' for them on Christmas Eve, the day after they were switched on.

He pointed out that all 10 million bulbs used in the Christmas lights were LED, 'energy efficient', and that their energy consumption was 'practically negligible'.

Also, plans are already afoot to gradually replace all bulbs in Vigo's street lights and those used in or on public buildings with LED versions, meaning the city's energy consumption would be 'green and renewable' by the end of 2020.

Before the Christmas lights in Vigo became a must-see attraction, hotel occupation over the festive period was barely 20%, but nowadays, they are usually almost full due to the national and international fame they have acquired.