When the recycling of plastic bottles can make a difference. Back in 2012 we told you about the Liter of Light project that had brought economic and sustainable light to the alleys and shacks of the Philippines using simple plastic bottles, water, bleach and of course the sun's rays. Now, two years later, the project has come a long way!
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
When the recycling of plastic bottles can make a difference. Already in 2012 we told you about the Liter of Light project that he had brought affordable and sustainable light in the alleys and shacks of the Philippines using simple plastic bottles, water, bleach and of course the sun's rays. Now, two years later, the project has come a long way!
THEbusinessman Illac Diaz, which deals with the diffusion of the solar and sustainable alternatives of Liter of Light, has now changed its strategy: while before the solar bulbs and other small solar projects were imported ready-made (with the disadvantage that if something broke there were not many people able to do repairs and most of the time it all ended up in the trash), now it's been thought of develop lights locally so that repairs and replacements can be easier and within the reach of local communities.
“One of the things about micro-solar products that they don't tell us is that they haven't really been a hit in developing countries. - Diaz explained - Products are doomed to fail. When the parts break, the problem cannot be solved. I see large amounts of solar energy being thrown into landfills. The real gift is to teach you to have your own solar industry, so we can do it all here, find local parts to repair and grow from the bottom up ”.
Unfortunately, the places where these bulbs are used are often affected by floods and natural disasters, which is why it is particularly important that there are people in the area who are able to intervene promptly to restore the light rather than wait for help from outside. In this regard the Liter of Light association has formed a very large group of volunteers that, in the case of new and dangerous natural phenomena, it is able take action not only to filter the water but also to quickly produce lights for houses and streets.
The Liter of Light project works with women's cooperatives to create solar light bulbs from a recycled plastic bottle and, thanks to a new high-tech chip guaranteed, to make the light last longer. In its two years of operation, the organization has distributed 360.000 lights in 15 locations around the world. Diaz hopes to reach the 1 million lights milestone by the end of next year and thus provide an alternative to other lighting technologies being offered to developing countries.
For more information on the project, refer to the site aliteroflight.org.
Read also:
- 1 Liter of light: solar chandeliers from plastic bottles shed light in the Philippines
- Bulbs from plastic bottles: here is the Liter of Light project (video)
