The consumption of electricity during village feasts is three times higher than the Church's consumption for the rest of the year, Dr Mario Fsadni from the Church's Environment Commission, said today.

He said it was estimated that Church activities generated between 100 and 150 tons of CO2 during the year which amounted to 0.05 percent of the country's emissions.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr Fsadni said that eventually all the traditional bulbs used in Church activities would be replaced by energy saving types.

Dr Fsadni said the commission had prepared a guide book to parishes and all Church entities with recommendations on better use of electricity and water.

He said there needed to be greater awareness on the use of electricity in parishes and eventually all consumption would be audited. The audit would identify the sort of bulbs and equipment that was being used, as well as the nature of water systems. The commission would study where consumption is highest and propose the use of lower consumption equipment and low energy lamps.

He said that the commission was proposing that a person in each parish would liaise with the commission on measures needed to reduce consumption.

"If there is a reduction of 50 watts per hour per Mass, and considering that there are over 100,000 Masses celebrated every year, this would yield a saving of 5,000 kilo watts and five tons of CO2 per year," Dr Fsadni said.