LED lighting in Rome, a disgrace that disfigures the historic center. And yet, it would be enough...

LED LIGHTS ROME –

It is certainly not a trivial controversy about replacing light bulbs in a cityThe change of public lighting in Rome, with the introduction of new devices LED (more savings and less waste) it has become an international case, even taken up by the New York Times, for the most trivial and serious of reasons: they are making a mess, moreover, under the banner of a useful and necessary innovation. The devastation, in short, is the following: the power of these new LED lamps is too high (half would be enough: perhaps someone was interested in a more substantial supply, i.e. in a waste?), the light that comes out is blinding in the space closest to the device, while all around it is pitch blackThey are simply the wrong lamps. Furthermore, to replace the old ones, the crudest method was chosen: throwing away the old and original bell-shaped lanterns, of artistic and artisanal value, and replacing them with ugly rectangular plates. Absurd. And without a logic of basic good administration that can combine innovation and history, public lighting and street furniture.

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LED LIGHTS IN THE HISTORICAL CENTER OF ROME –

Since we're talking about Rome, the tormented Italian capital and a city that's a symbol for the world, it's clear that the LED disaster has become an international issue. With the new devices there is a risk of dealing a mortal blow to the already disfigured and violated historic center of the Capital, of neighborhoods that are by their nature masterpieces of history, environment and architecture, such as Monti, Coppedè and the Ghetto.o. All just out of ignorance, improvisation, and that well-known bungling with which so many things are done in Rome.

LED PUBLIC LIGHTING IN ROME –

Replacing LED lamps is, in fact, the responsibility of Acea, a half-public, half-private company that manages public lighting in Rome. However, this is a company where the municipality is in charge, and therefore Virginia Raggi would do well to take matters into her own hands and rescue Rome from this international embarrassment.How? Here too: in the simplest way in the world, using common sense, reasonableness and good administrative practice. And trying to follow, for example, some suggestions from Valentina Grilli, president of FAI Lazio who had the merit of publicly denouncing the Roman outrageIt would be enough to install LED lamps more suited to the lighting function in this area, reduce their power (and thus eliminate the current blinding effect) and conserve well street lamps and bell-shaped lanterns to house the new devices. That's all. By involving the various municipal offices, and requesting essential contributions from the Street Furniture officials, and looking at how much good, indeed excellent, has been done in various villages (I'll mention one for everyone: Città Sant'Angelo) and city (Cagliari) Italian companies that have rightly opted for the savings and energy efficiency of LED technology. Without destroying the historic centers, however and the very identity of places which, by their very nature, must always be treated with the utmost delicacy and with great expertise.

(Cover image credits: Gianni Cipriano / New York Times)

TO KNOW MORE: The Waste of Rome, a Corrupt Capital in Need of Rebuilding (Mario Ajello)