The Solar Bottle Bulb Lights Up Homes with Recycled Plastic Bottles

Old plastic bottles that would otherwise find their way to landfills, dumps and oceans, are creating new light and a better life in many low-income homes in the Philippine city of Manila. The “Solar Bottle Bulb” is a simple, affordable and sustainable solution for many families living in poor Filipino communities who live without electricity or light.

What Is the Solar Bottle Bulb?

The Solar Bottle Bulb is made out of a used plastic soda bottle or water bottle, which is filled with water and liquid bleach. The bottle is then fixed into a hole in the roof. While light streaming through just the hole would come in through a single, straight, narrow light beam, the water in the Solar Bottle Bulb refracts the light so that it can illuminate a larger space, 360 degrees around. The bleach keeps the water clean by preventing algae from forming.

The Solar Bottle Bulb gives off 55 to 60 watts of clear light, and lasts up to 10 months.

Benefits of the Solar Bottle Bulb

This innovative light bulb provides low-income Manila households with light – while traditional windows can easily crack or leak during typhoon season or other severe weather, the Solar Bottle Bulb brings even more light in and helps save money and energy. Not only do the bulbs improve the lives of families, but they also improve the future and health of the environment by significantly reducing plastic waste.

A Liter of Light

The light bulbs were introduced to the Philippines by Illac Diaz, who established the MyShelter Foundation to develop a system of sustainability through projects that also create new skills and employment opportunities. His new project, “A Liter of Light,” has already helped light 10,000 homes in the Philippines with the Solar Bottle Bulb. Diaz was inspired by MIT engineer Amy Smith, who used similar technology during her work in Haiti.

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