Pitch

Under the name of "The Light Bringers" our team followed the project 4.1.3 TECHNOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS AIMED AT THE REDUCTION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION MARSALA. The objective of the research was to monitor the progress of the project, through field observation, the retrieval of data from the competent Administrations and interviews with project managers. We undertook this research driven by the desire to shed light on the change implemented by the institutions, convinced that energy efficiency is a first step towards environmental protection policies. We want to bring the light of the future, awaken consciences from darkening, shake from the torpor those who persist in clinging to the positions of the past, certain that the time for an Enlightenment 2.0 is now ripe!

https://padlet.com/thelightbringers/the-light-bringers-qc48l599q97x0rhi

We submitted a survey to our fellow citizens (229 in total), discovering that only 26.7% of those interviewed were aware of the existence of the project and that as many as 97.3% are convinced that an intervention to replace obsolete systems powered sodium and mercury vapor with more current LED streetlights is needed by the city. From the interviews with the municipal managers we have seen that 5,543 light points throughout the municipal area and their 181 reference electrical switchboards have been affected by the replacement interventions. Despite bureaucratic delays, the works, worth € 5,000,000, financed 67% by the European Union, 17% by the Region of Sicily and 17% by the Municipality itself, are nearing completion and are expected to finish by the summer of 2023. 

Being Light Bringers must not end at the end of the project. To enlighten consciences it is necessary to continue with the monitoring and communication of the progress of the Administrations. To do this, we intend to keep the social media accounts created for the project active by implementing them with content that reports not only malfunctions but also positive reports, which come from our fellow citizens (then it will be a sign that we are enlightening everyone's minds!). Non-functioning lamp posts could be indicated with stickers with the "The Light Bringers" logo and, through the Google Maps tool, working and non-functioning lamp posts, and also organize events and awareness campaigns. Citizens of a smart city cannot remain passive spectators, they must in turn become "smart citizens".