COP15 Warm Up: Pedal Power to Light up the Christmas Tree

COPENHAGEN , Nov. 30 /CNW/ - Counting down to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in December, the people of Copenhagen will be pedalling hard to light up the traditional Christmas tree on City Hall Square.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091230/368843 )

Tradition has it that the big Christmas tree on Copenhagen's City Hall Square is lit up with hundreds of lights. But this year it will be a different story - unless people pedal hard, that is.

During the Climate Summit, Copenhagen's City Hall Square will be transformed into a climate-friendly city called Hopenhagen Live. Until 18 December, Copenhageners and anyone else who is concerned about the environment can jump on the bikes and pedal to light up the tree - and burn a few calories while they're at it. This alternative way of lighting up the Christmas tree will save the environment a total of nine tonnes of CO2 compared to the traditional way of powering the lights.

Copenhagen is already known as the City of Cyclists, and the term Copenhagenize has become a catchword for a new concept - when cities work to encourage increased usage of this healthy and CO2-friendly means of transport. With more than 350 kilometres of cycle lanes and one third of all Copenhageners commuting by bike every day, Copenhagen truly is a bicycle city.

While the UN Climate Summit is taking place in Bella Center from 7 - 18 December, the whole city will be booming with international cultural events. At City Hall Square there will be music, exhibitions and happenings. Al Gore and Bishop Desmond Tutu will be in town, and more than 65 heads of state and government will take part in the official COP15 in Bella Center - not to mention the 100 mayors from all over the world invited to City Hall Square during the summit.

For free broadcast-standard video about the pedal powered Christmas tree, please visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Denmark

Download photos of the Copenhagen Christmas tree here: http://www.copenhagenmediacenter.com/CMC.aspxNo./tag/juletrae/

Follow the cyclists lighting up the tree at http://www.hopenhagenlive.dk

COP15 cultural calendar: http://www.cop15culture.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091230/368843

For further information: please contact: About cultural events in Copenhagen during the COP15: Aneh Hajdu, Wonderful Copenhagen, Head of Communication, [phone], [email protected]; For general information about the Christmas tree: Jakob M0lgaard, City of Copenhagen, [phone], [email protected]; About Hopenhagen LIVE: Anders Ferdal Rasmussen, City of Copenhagen, [phone], [email protected]