Not long ago, the well-known German lighting designer Ingo Maurer unveiled the “Euro-Condom”, as he calls it, as a protest against the policy of the European Union.
According to Maurer, EU legislation is promoting the gradual phase-out of incandescent and halogen bulbs by 2016. Against the Union’s arguments, the German designer, who has been working since 1966, argues that the extensive use of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that it is seeking not only fails to protect the environment but also ruins the quality of light in our homes.
The first “victims” of Europe’s bulb policy, since September 2009, have been frosted incandescent bulbs. According to the directive, these bulbs have a lower light output than the others and are therefore being banned as energy-hungry. However, according to studies cited by the German designer, the difference in light output between such a bulb and any other incandescent bulb is negligible.
The slogan of the provocative Ingo Maurer is “protect yourself from stupid laws”. The purpose of the condom, then, is to fit over an ordinary bulb and turn it into a frosted one, like those that have been banned.
It is made of a heat-resistant, silicone-based material and fits all classic incandescent bulbs. So protect yourself from stupid laws too. Use the Euro-Condom!
