A liter of light
I first read about this project in Philippine slums where they were capturing light in a bottle nearly a decade ago. I loved the simplicity of the innovation, the re-use component and the value it created for people who lived in the dark (733 million people in the world live without electricity in 2022 according to the latest).
If you watch the video, you will notice some interesting elements such as the ongoing experimentation (for the actual light bottles and then for adjusting to the needs such as light at night) and the focus on the living context of people.
I like that is an open source technology that can be replicated by anyone anywhere, leading to a grassroots movement.
While the idea started with a bottle, the definition on liter of light’s website provides a general definition that allows to experiment with materials (and use those available) “inexpensive, readily available materials to provide high quality solar lighting to people with limited or no access to electricity.”
It’s also a great systemic approach where the organization does not only tackle access to electricity but also recycling waste. It is also worth noting how they work at developing partnerships with local companies.
Check also this story about the project on NPR: https://www.npr.org/2011/12/28/144385288/in-philippine-slums-capturing-light-in-a-bottle
Sources:
Liter of Light: https://literoflight.org/
SDG 7: “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/goal-07/
Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Report 2022 https://trackingsdg7.esmap.org/data/files/download-documents/sdg7-report2022-full_report.pdf
