FRENCH SYMBOLISM – EIFFEL TOWER FLASHES ENERGY CRISIS

Quick – what’s the smartest New Energy choice?

Not sure? OK, what’s the cheapest New Energy choice?

Same answer for both questions: Energy saved.

The famously cutting edge (and, OK, yes, frugal) French are moving again in the smartest, cheapest direction. Leaders are cutting a very conspicuous form of energy consumption in a gesture designed to inspire the French people to follow.

The Eiffel Tower, symbol to all the world of everything free and French and proud, has announced it, too, will do what it can in the fight against climate change and energy shortages.

Instead of flashing its lights for 10 minutes at the top of every hour, the Eiffel Tower will now flash its lights only 5 minutes.

For the French and uncounted enchanted visitors, the tower's lights have been like candles in the boudoir since they first twinkled on in 1985. Is this the beginning of the end of French romance?

Mais non! When it comes to romance in France, a little twinkle goes a long way.

click to enlarge

Eiffel Tower cuts twinkling time to save energy
Elizabeth Pineau and Estelle Shirbon (w/ Angus MacSwan), October 17, 2008(Reuters via Yahoo News)

WHO
The Eiffel Tower management; Gustave Eiffel, engineer and tower designer

WHAT
The Eiffel Tower, the tallest building in Paris, will reduce its display of sparkling lights to call attention to the need to reduce energy use.

June 1902. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- 1889: The Eiffel Tower was constructed.
- Since January 2000: The Eiffel Tower twinkles 10 minutes every hour on the hour.
- From now on: The tower will twinkle for 5 minutes (still every hour on the hour).

WHERE
The Eiffel Tower is on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River in Paris.

WHY
- The reduction in the flashing of the lights is to reinforce the message that energy must be conserved.
- The change is symbolic because the 20,000 flashing light bulbs use relatively little energy.
- The Eiffel Tower is 300-metre (984-foot) tall.
- It is popular – some would say romantic – to watch the twinkling spectacle from nearby Parisian bridges and squares.
- The hope is to cut the tower's 7,500,000 kilowatt-hours/year.

click to enlarge

QUOTES
From Reuters: “The tower's managers said the measure was mostly symbolic…”