This was the warning of Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara to heavy users of Christmas lights and other electricity-fed decors, including local government officials and owners of various commercial centers nationwide.

“I don’t want to play the Grinch this Christmas season but we can celebrate the birth of our dear Jesus by helping save our planet. The use of so much Christmas lights and other decors that uses electricity should be minimized because lights are among the top greenhouse gas contributors on our planet,” Angara said in a statement.

Quoting a research study, the chairman of the House Committee on Higher Education said lights contribute a staggering 24.6 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions around the world, making it the biggest contributor to global warming.

As nation braces for Christmas, many of Metro Manila’s commercial districts and several local government units have been using Christmas lights to embellish their Christmas trees, lanterns, and other Christmas decors.

Angara took note that in some areas such as the various commercial districts in Metro Manila, entire stretches of avenues are lit with Christmas lights and even some buildings are adorned with millions of these beautiful lights

Charisa Luci, Manila Bulletin