I ran across this today in my stumbles through the internet. I had heard about this project a few months ago, but only that it was occurring. The joy of seeing a project like this that is truly the project of re-purposing objects that had previously been though of as trash is something that I don’t have the words to express. I have to say that I am very happy that this video has been made and I am very happy to see it being shared around the world.
Personally I am going to make a pledge to help. What about you?
Website for the Organization: Isang Litrong Liwanag
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This is a really cool use for old soda bottles. I never knew that bleach and water in a bottle would just produce that much light using the sun. The only problem that I can see is since the sun is not out at night, it will still be pitch black. Other than that, it is a great solution.
I agree with cameron on the fact that what would people do if they don’t have clean water… would it still work if the water had other contaminates in them. This project is such a good idea and i think with a little more thought put in it could help so many people all over the world who struggle with similar issues.
I agree with you Elianah. THis project holds so much potential and with a little more thought and a little more planning, building these “lightbulbs” may be able to fasten much quicker than just in the video above. But yes, would this still work with water that isn’t fresh?
I agree with all of you that the one downfall is that there is obviously no sun at night; and when its dark outside and inside thats when you need it the most. I feel like what is so great about the light from the water bottles is that it’s free. These people would have to put in more effort than just getting pure water, and I agree with Alex–they would have to do some more planning to be able to have light at during the night. And I wonder the same about the water being fresh? Does the water with the bleach make the water more clear? What does the bleach do to make the water better?
Yes bleach makes water more safe to use, it says in the link below that if you add a few drops of bleach then it can make any water safe to drink you just have to make sure that it doesnt have a scent in it and cant add too much. Often times people bring bleach on camping trips for survival because it can make water safe to drink and use. As for making it more clear i am not sure, I know if you add bleach its more safe but clarity could be a different story. Although clarity and safeness are often considered the same, it could be different story for water and bleach.
Click to access 09_202278-B_Make_Water_Safe_Flyer_508.pdf
In this use the bleach isn’t to make the water potable, it is to keep algae from growing in the bottle and making it darker. The bleach won’t make sediment drop out of the water. If they are using river or well water which is full of sediment they dump the water into a stilling tank. When they need water, they can skim the top and collect fairly clear water, add a touch of bleach, some tin snips, roofing glue, and one of more spare bottles, and voila you have light.
A small experiment you could do is take several water/soda bottles. One never opened water, one where you crack then close the top. Then several empties refilled with tap, well, river, even fish tank waters, all filtered to the point they are clear. The real part of the experiment is for each water type used (except the first two) have several bottles, each with increasing amounts of bleach. On all reseal the lids tightly, properly label, and set in the sun for several weeks.
I agree that this idea is very smart and creative. This idea also shows how a community can recycle and reuse products to solve their problems. However this idea doesn’t solve their problem of not having light at night. On the overall picture this idea promotes the use of plastic bottles which is ultimately bad for the environment. But considering the circumstances for this community, this is a great idea for the time being.
I agree in saying that this is a very good use of soda bottles to make a source of light. Although they do not have light at night, families with some income now only have to pay for half the light that they had used before.
That is a good point Reed. They will be able to put that money that they had to use for light for something else, which in this economy right now is a very beneficial thing. Also as Allie states below, it will cause more people to want to be in the working class when they know that at night time it will be very hard to manage to stay awake when it is pitch black.
Like one lady mentioned in the video, when it’s so dark inside, she often just goes to sleep instead because she can’t see anything. Sure, there’s no sunlight at night, but night is for sleep anyways. The people are now getting resources such as these bottles that allow them to work through the day and sleep at night.
This allows day light activity in people homes, and some businesses. At night, most people will sleep. There is also the chance that until they are ready they can be outside, or use a little light for other sources. It may not be much but a candle can provide enough light that a room of people can talk and see each other.
Oh man this is so cool. I I never knew that bleach and water in a soda bottle could make a light. Those people’s lives have to be so much different know that there houses can have free lighting. I strongly believe this is good and will continue to support it.
What a brilliant man that Demi must be. I wonder how much money people could save if they used these bottles during the day and limited their lighting to just at night… Not to mention all the energy saved. How long does the effect last?
The world needs more people like Demi. He took such a simple idea, one that none of us probably would have even thought of, and used it to help his community. It’s amazing how much we take our light for granted. You wouldn’t typically expect people who live in poverty to not even have light during the day. This is an amazing project. Just think of how many people we could help, just by giving a clear bottle filled with water and bleach (none of which are expensive at all). I’m also happy to see this video shared around the world. This will truly make a good impact on people’s lives.
Whoa!! Demi’s idea is awesome, I wonder how he thought to do that. But you can really tell how greatly the ‘bulbs’ affect the villagers lives now. It’s amazing how creative people can get with the resources available to them. Like Zander, I also want to know how long the bottles last.
I would assume the bottles couldnt last too long, dont you think? I mean a plastic bottle is bound the wear down pretty soon when light is being produced in it especially with bleach being added. Bleach is a very strong substance. But I do agree with you LarLar, this idea is truly incredible. As Eric states above, light is taken for granted all the time, not even considering people in other countries dont have it. I believe this project, with a little bit more research and thought, can be a truly affective way to help all the countries in the world. Producing light will cause our electricity bills to go down which in the economy right now, is something that can get very expensive especially with the heat we have in Texas. This is a little step to making our world a little bit for environmentally sustainable.
Okay this is really cool. It’s crazy to think that the soda bottles we throw away can be used to light up someone’s home. I’m wondering the same thing as Zander…how much energy and money could we save if we used simple inventions like this one during the day and then only used electricity at night? I’m sure the effects would be huge. I really enjoyed this video!
I think this is amazing, I will defiantly attempt to contribute to this project. I love how the have found a great use for these old soda bottles by using them as a alternative to light bulb, instead of having it just waste away in a dump somewhere where most soda bottles find their fate these days. I also agree with Zander, that if there were more people like Demi, the world would be a better place. I also wonder like Larson and Zander, about how long these bottles last.
This is such a brilliant invention! I agree with Eric, its amazing how much we take light for granted and to find a resourceful and cheap way to bring light to the poverty is great! Innovative people like Demi is what this world needs to become a sustainable environment. I admire him for experimenting with resources in order to help brighten peoples homes. Americans need to follow Demi’s footsteps in being so resourceful for our everyday necessities, like light.
I would imagine that how long the bottles last would depend on the amount of bleach and water used and how hot the environment is (e.g. how long it takes for the water to evaporate). I think that this would work pretty well though.
Wow Cameron! I would have never thought that, especially how the environment would have an effect on the bottles, as well as the Bleach and Water. I also wonder if the size of the soda bottle has anything to do with how long the light in the bottle lasts?
It won’t take much bleach to accomplish the goal of keeping the water algae free. As for the real break down of the plastic, heat isn’t the issue (it is formed around 300-600 degrees, UV rays and other solar effects would cause the break down. If the bottle is a UV sensitive plastic, it may only last a few months, if it is resistant it may last years.
Really a unique idea. Even a small plastic bottle can make a difference. This is a good example of recycling of plastic in such an innovative way. Now, the people can have light in their homes. Cameron has a good point about it not being too useful at night with no sun out, but nonetheless this idea is making a very visible impact.
This video is very uplifting considering how little that group of people have. To think that a plastic bottle can be the difference in having light inside your home is quite remarkable. “Solar Demi” really put the team on his back by giving light to his neighborhood and families around him. Very inspirational.
This is the type of idea that we need to conserve energy and the cost of it. It’s a great idea but I’d like to see Demi expand it. It seems to be helping this village now but how long will it last? Like Cameron first stated, what about night time? Anyone have any ideas on resources Demi could use to light up the night?
this video really made me think how amazing it is that a simple thing like a plastic bottle can make such an impact on people lives. its also very depressing to know that what i through away after use and never think about again can put smiles on the faces of this community, just as bright as the light that Solar Demi brings to his people.
Of course this is an awesome idea and all it took was simple knowledge of the reaction between water and chloride when the sun shines on it. Seeing this video makes me wonder how many other people around the world have also created simple, yet powerful solutions to everyday life. This man, Demi, somehow had the ability to get his idea out to the public which is awesome, but what about those people who can’t? How are we supposed to hear about other worldly ideas when many cannot even afford clean water, let alone afford someone to publish their work.
I think those are great questions we really do need people to do and fine these project that could benefit so many people and not just those in poverty but here too. Like other people have said if less then half of the population in america were to uses theres bottles to light up there homes it would cut cost and be more environmentally helpful. If only more people knew about this i think it could make a huge change in how many people all over the world live and look and lighting.
Yes I would agree, with the huge population in America as well as China and Europe, etc, if only half of their country/continent would try to utilize Demi’s idea we could all probably see a little effect in our world’s footprint as well. Seeing creative yet powerful ideas like Demi’s hopefully will inspire others to create such things as well.
I am honestly shocked that such a small idea can change so many lives. I have heard so many people say that one individual can make a difference and until now I have been skeptical. Demi has absolutely convinced me that it is possible to change the world. This story gives me hope that we have not completely destroyed our world. I believe Demi’s idea should set a good example- maybe the answer to our environmental problems can be found in simplistic ideas such as this one rather than technologically advanced ones.
I think that this is a really great thing to be happening to these people. Having actual electricity would be impossible in this area because it is so expensive. It’s great that they’re completely reusing and recycling the bottles and using them for light in places that would usually be completely dark. It’s a resource they had the entire time but have just figured out how to use it in a way that would benefit their society instead of throwing the bottles away. This community will not be able to have light whenever there is sun outside–completely free of cost. They’re not dependent on anything else besides the sun and reused water bottles to have light in their homes.
Zander brought up a good point. How long will this effect last? Will the bleach and water have to be dumped out and refilled everyday? Meghan’s comment was good too. I like the idea a lot, and obviously, resources and money are low there but with support from people all over the world, I’m excited to see how this project will expand and change over time.
Even if the bottles weren’t to last that long, the use of them for that short period of time is much better than them just going to waste. The savings that these bottles produce for electricity costs have a much higer impact than replacing the bottles every now and then. Don’t forget about the three R’s: Recycle, Reuse, and Renew. This community shows a prime example of Reusing bottles.
Even if people had to dump out, refilled, and placed on the roof every week Demi showed us how easy it was to screw the extra piece of metal onto the roof, paste the bottle shut to piece of metal and paste if shut. If there could be one person assigned to do this job maybe once a week if necessary, then this task would definitely be worth the time of maybe 10 mins each week. If all that people had to do was purchase bleach, the small amounts used would save them compared to paying for electricity.
I like Kate’s idea that environmental problems can be solved in such simplistic ways. It is amazing to see what a difference these plastic bottle solar lights have made in so many people’s lives. This really goes to show that even the smallest things can make a difference. This makes me think, what other things that we consider “trash” can be used to solve environmental problems around the world. This is such an amazing way to live sustainably by putting recycled plastic bottles to good use.
While everyone think this is super “Cool” It is completely ineffective for most of the world. While this might work in most places in Africa, I can guarantee that this method will have no effects to any civilization that is technologically advanced. Our houses in the world today have things such as attics, insulation, and more than one story. Which makes it near impossible to use this method effectively in our advanced world. While this might be a step in the right direction, I want to ask you seriously how much energy do you this we are saving from people using this method? Cause I personally believe the amount of electricity that he was using was so minute compared to the rest of the world, that this method won’t make any difference to the rest of the world!
On one had I think that this is super cool (as I have previously stated), I know see what Paul is saying. I agree that this would not work everywhere. But to answer your question Paul, I think that this would save a lot of energy for those countries whose households this would be useful for. But for other countries this would probably not help as much.
There are slums in every city, Paul. There are houses in every city with situations where these bottles could be used. And, like Chris said below, this idea is just a start. We could create technology that allows everyone to use this technology that uses no electricity, or find ways to use the bottles set into the walls, as lamps or whatnot.
So, respectfully, you’re wrong. This technology has the opportunity to be used everywhere, if used correctly. Also, even if this was only an option for Africa, can you imagine all of Africa with electricity-free light?
Zander, I can’t possibly fathom Africa an option of electricity-free light for all of Africa. Africa is just so big and poor that it would be hard to imagine, now a single country such as Madagascar would be more realistic. Also could you imagine a scenario in the not too distant future in which the whole world uses electricity-free light?
For a civilization like the one that we live in, I’m not so sure that it is all about saving that much energy because Paul is right: with all the technology we have, on a grand scale not much will be saved. However, this is very helpful for people who live in slums and houses that do not have an attic. Also, consider this: a skylight works by having glass that goes from the inside of the house to the outside to bring light in. This is pretty much the same principal but on a smaller scale.
You do bring up a great point. I guess the idea being presented was so mind blowing that we all jumped the gun and said it should be utilized everywhere. Even though most all technologically advanced countries are able to use electricity for their benefit, seeing third world would countries use Demi’s idea as a new means of light and life is a great success for their lifestyle as well as provide more opportunities for people in this kind of living situations.
It’s obvious that for the majority of the world this concept could not be very useful, but for small communities like this one, this can make a huge difference in the lives of the members of these communities.
Yeah Reed is right this idea can create a big impact on those small communities that really don’t have big technology advances like we do. Now obviously not for the US because we are way passed that but imagine those poor countries that don’t even have light. They need to start somewhere and i think this is a great place to start. The US didn’t start off using electrical wires. We came from things like oil lamps and moved on to wind mills, etc. This can be their first step. It’s also brings bills down which is a plus.
I have similar views as Paul, that this idea wont work for the rest of the world. Yes it is a great idea for 3rd world countries who cant afford other forms of light. I do think that it is very creative of him to think of this considering the materials he is given. However I don’t think this idea is great enough to help the world on a global scale.
I think this is pretty darn cool. Agreeing with you Abby, it is amazing to see what a difference “trash” can do for some people’s lives. But I don’t think that “trash” can solve our enviromental problems at all though. This is a great way to “open” people’s eyes and realize that saving the earth isn’t rocket science. Towards you Paul, this does make a difference. All it takes is a spark of motivation and in my opinion, I believe this video has done just that. The only question though is whether or not people will actually do something about it.
I agree with Chris statements towards paul the little things are what makes a difference all these people have improved the way they live and the money they make because of these used bottles. Like most things one mans trash is a other mans gold.
“One Man’s trash is another Man’s treasure”- taken from Elianah
^^ I really think that fits the video very well. Now I understand why Hebby would say that trash would not solve our environmental problems. I believe that it won’t solve all of them. Now in other countries it might really solve a few things because it is not so advanced but in our country it might not be a big problem solver.
I agree with Niko in the fact that even though the bottles may not be able to last a long period of time, we are still putting the bottles to use rather than wasting them. It saves a lot more money in the long run using these bottles instead of using electricity. Kate’s thoughts about people coming up with a simple idea can really make a huge change is true. This project proves that something so little can make a big difference. Demi’s project can influence others to starting doing this and making a change.
This video is a perfect example of reusing every day materials. It was really cool to see a society that did not have as much as the one we live in, use his resources for the betterment of his community. I never thought that an idea like that would work, but it just goes to show if you have an innovative mind you can do anything. I agree with Bri and Niko when saying that the bottles don’t last long, but there is such a large quantity of bottles that people can use them in so many ways. This video would really help a country like ours recyle and reuse essential resources.
I am curious — has anyone found a source that says, or show the life span of these Soda Bottle Lights? Before we simply jump on the bandwagon of agreement, we need to fact-check the sources…. Speaking of, I want to ask a question, and I will answer it soon it no one is willing to search out the answer to this and my previous query —- Who actually developed the concept for the Soda Bottle Light? Was it Demi? Or someone else?
It can be stored for about 6 months at temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The bleach will degrade at a rate of 20% per year. But if the temperatures are higher than 70, that can cause the bleach to degrade faster. So worst case scenario, I would predict the bottles could last at least 2-3 months.
wow! i still can’t believe simply a soda bottle filled with bleach can provide light for up to 2-3 months: that is surely an ample enough time period. And, when the bleach does begin to degrade, it would be helpful if they not only install the bottles in these people’s homes, but also teach them how to replace and refill them for the future.
I just looked up who developed the Soda Bottle LIght and according to an article that I found the idea was actually engineered by students Massachutes Institute of Technology who then spread the word toabout their creation to poor areas of the world through non-profit organazations.
http://ariseenergy.com/soda-bottle-creates-solar-light-for-those-in-darkness
That is really interesting considering the fact that students in college were able to help third world countries around the world with such a simple idea. Maybe all colleges should start a program, if they haven’t already, that allows students to create a few simple solutions to everyday life in third world countries then allow them to travel abroad to share their concepts with people who desperately could utilize them.
This is incredible! Who would have thought that used soda bottles, filtered water, and bleach could make light. It’s really amazing that something so simple could change the course of the earth’s amount of CO2 in the air, so quickly. The way we light up the world could be changed drasticlly. Are there other parts of the world that use this invention regularly? I realize that this invention seems most important in poorer countries however, think about what this could do to a place like the united states. It could reenvint electricity.
We really don’t need a lot of money and funding to be green! This guy was able to create light in homes for free. There are probably so many more great ideas like this in the world but they have not gotten any attention. We could do so much with simple, but brilliant, ideas like this one.
Going green may or may not not be expensive I have yet to check into that but going green is a problem for many companies today. Going green cuts profit for companies. Less money = not happy. The reason why there is no attention to these ideas is because the majority of the people dont care about it. They have no motivation to get inolved, that’s the problem.
This was such a great video. I loved the end when the woman said, “we used to take this bottle for granted, and now we can’t live without it.” Their daily light depends on a plastic bottle- that’s so weird to think about. I think that this concept should be applied to other parts of the world. The best part? It costs hardly anything- which makes it easy for the poor to access. I kinda want to try it out… Maybe we can do it in class one day?
Wow, this was so cool. I love this video. It really inspired me and made me think about different things. I cant believe there was such a simple solution to their problems. It makes me wonder about how many things that we make more complicated than they need to be. Maybe there are simple solutions for many of the problems that we have and instead of looking for easy ideas we just throw more money and resources at them hoping that it can make a difference. I think that people can learn a lot from this video.
I found the video to be fascinating, but am curious why does it have to be water bottles filled with diluted bleach? While the diluted bleach filled bottles will allow light in the house during the day, there must be a better option. I remember reading an article in popsci magazine where it talked about a man named Frederik Krebs who designed a LED lamp that was embedded within a flexible, printable solar panel. This lamp is cheap enough (eventually $7 USD) for 3rd world countries to buy. The lamp would last for a long time, compared to modern bulbs, and would bring light to the household in night as well as during the day.
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2009-11/solar-powered-leds-light-grid-african-villages
http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-turn-a-2-liter-bottle-of-water-into-a-50-watt-lightbulb
I found this website that shoes you how to make these light bulbs! In the first video the man also adds and camera film dispenser to the lid of the bottle to protect the lid from the blazing sun- smart idea! In the second video they talk about earthships- it seems a little drastic for my taste but it is still really cool.
This does not make me want to go out and replace all of the lights in my house with bottles that connect to the outside, but I do think that for people who live in shacks and/or slums, this is definitely the solution to providing light. As Niko proved above, the lights do last for a substantial amount of time and are not very difficult or expense to replace once they do degrade.
Isnt it strange how in the poor places like the one in the video those lights are one of the biggest luxuries but here we would never even consider using it in our house. It just makes me think about all the resources that we have and are able to use and how much we take for granted.
I’m right there with you Catherine. A light bulb seems like the most common household object but for so many its not even a possibility since they don’t have electricity. Those people are so excited by a water bottle full of bleach and if we had that in our house, it would be in the trashcan. We take so much for granted.
@Cathgreg There are many luxuries other than light that exist that we take for granted. There are still countries that use horse and carriage because of the inability to use an engine to power it. The luxuries that we have has led to a greater understanding of how the world works and yet we still waste resources and aren’t able to help out our fellows in 3rd world countries.
@Olivia: The idea of water bottles as a source of light is nice only as long as there is sunlight to reflect the light. While the concept is great for developing countries without light, it isn’t worthwhile once electricity is introduced. Therefore, I have to question whether or not the bottles are really worthwhile because they only prolong the reuse of the bottles when they could easily be recycled to create a composite material that could help produce electricity, a rooftop or a lampshade to help the family.
Well, light bulbs are luxuries for us, but I can also argue that they are necessities because of the environment and style of house that we live in. We have large houses (in comparison with the ones in the video) that have hundreds of light bulbs. Replacing all of these with the bottles would be extremely impractical and probably useless considering the fact that our houses have large attics too.
I think this is revolutionary idea, even though it doesn’t work at night, during the day we use a lot of light and it can still save a lot of energy. Parish it self is a good example of how much light we use during the day. Although this idea will not work for the U.S and other developed countries, for developing countries it will come to grate use. The thing that worries me, are the chemicals used in the bottles. After the bleach degrades, how will the people dispose of it?
To answer Santiago’s question, I think they could easily just empty it out in a sink or just in the grass somewhere that isn’t close enough to affect anybody. But the nice thing about this light is that once you have the bottle, you don’t have to throw it away and find a new bottle. Just empty the bleached water out and refill it, it’s that simple! And Santiago, although you may think that we don’t need it here in the U.S., there are actually homeless people all around us, some of which live in cardboard boxes and small houses with no electricity. This light could be used for those people in our community as well.
Bleach emptied in sinks would just go to the sewer, which would eventually end up in a river, lake, or ocean. However, I do not think that the bleach is a huge concern because the amount of water bottles used is not too great just yet. Also, if these house do not have light, they might not have running water either, so people would just dump it into the gutter or street.
I just found another article about a young inventor that found a way to create small wind generators to power homes in third world countries. This is very similar to the bottle lights in the sense that they are producing a natural useful resource to poverty stricken countries. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/solar-wind/4224763
Niko I think this is awesome you found this. It’s so cool that some else out there is trying to create ways for people in poor areas to live with electricity/light in there homes. I think these wind generators would work incredibly well when used alongside the bottle-lights.
I think that this video is super neat and that even though the sun isnt out at night i feel these bottles could still help save alot of energy durning the day and people would spend less money on electricity because they could only use it at night. i feel it could also help other countries because it is a simple solution to a large problem and every little bit helps
I see you Niko in finding different articles that make kids like us “aware” of the different people out there trying to make a difference. @CathGreg People may learn something from this video but are they actually going to do something about it or carry on with their lives without even making a difference in the world like these people we find making lights out of water bottles or small wind generators.
I agree with hebby on his comment about “people carrying on with their lives without even making a difference in the world like these people we find making lights out of water bottles or small wind generators.” Most of these small, poor communities come up with these inventions so they can bare living life. They don’t actually come up with them so they can change the world and leave a legacy. They just want to make living another day simple.
@ Eric E. Remember that most people who will be using this light bottles will most probably not have sewers infrastructure. This liquid will most probably be dumped on the ground or by rivers and lakes. If a large population uses the light bottles there will be a lot of waist going into the environment. I also know that there homeless people in the U.S but the light bottles will be used more in developing countries who have a much larger population of poor people.
This video also proves that doing even the smallest thing can help out a large amount of people. This also shows that with some of the most basic of materials it can bring incredible things to people who really need it. Now those people can have light natural free light without having to pay a ridiculous amount of money. That is something truely remarkable
This is exactly what people need, motivation. One man can make a difference and he made a difference in his little community without a doubt. But, he really did something so small that amounted to hundreds of these solar power bottles. He found a way to “recycle” and now does not have to pay the electric bill and saves a lot of money. The lives of the community changed because now being inside is not a problem because there is light and people don’t always have to be out in the heat because of the lack of.
People do need motivation, there’s no doubt about that. But will motivation be enough though? It worked for this guy, one guy. But what about all the other people in the world.If one man can make a difference then where are all the other Solar Demis at.
I think motivation is exzactly what people need, this video is perfect because it is inspiring and heartfelt. It totally is the perfect way to get people excitied about helping out because this video makes you feel for the people. They did a really good job of shooting and getting the story across.
Are those people going to do something about it though. Today I hardly see anything that raises awareness about the environment around me or kids our age getting involved. We saw this video, most of us were motivated, but have we done anything to improve the environment since. If we were motivated enough wouldn’t we have done something by now?
Your Right Chris i think that there needs to be more awareness made of things like this that are going on and happening. Because honestly this video and blog have been the first time i have heard about some of the issues that are going on. I feel that the most important thing is to ge the word out and then people will se and understand. I think the more people that see this video will get motivatied and hopefull do something about it.
That’s what we need to focus on then right, to raise awareness? I agree that that’s what we need to do is get the word out. We need to start raising awareness whether is through facebook, clubs, meetings, anything. Over time i believe that people will actually start listening. Motivation is not enough, the act to do is what we need in order to succeed
It is very interesting that he puts the bleach into the water, because if you didn’t have the bleach that water would get all moldy in the sun. Bacteria would be growing all over it and all of the bottle, so putting bleach kills that bacteria and sealing the cap reduces the evaporation of the water so it last longer. This is a very simple way to reduce and reuse the materials all around us. It reduces the amount of electricity that this community uses and also reuses all of those empty liter bottles lying around. With that it provides a way of cleaning up this community and bring in natural light into the homes that were covered in darkness. This is a great thing that should be used all around the world.
Raising awareness is definitely a big part of spreading the word of this great idea and many others like it. We just need to be sure that we are raising awareness to the right group of people – people who can actually make a difference now instead of in 20 years. What I mean is that many people and organizations try to speak to the younger generations about what they can do to help their future earth when in reality, they can’t do anything quickly which needs to be done. We should raise awareness to maybe college students or a bit older who could utilize their study time to create plans of how to influence other countries to do the same as Demi by travelling to third world countries and bringing simple ideas like the soda bottle light and wind generator that Niko presented.
This video really inspires me to reuse. This idea is so innovative and truly uses the entire use of the bottle. Like the woman said in the video, we used to take these for granted and now we can not live without them! What if the only light source that America had was light from bottles? It is amazing to see things like this being done by people in such bad circumstances, and it only makes me think of how much more we could do. Today in class Mr. Cohen asked us why did he put the bleach inside the bottle? I thought about it for a while and he then told us that he did that to make sure the bottle would not grow algae. I would not have thought to combine the bleach to reach this success!
I found it interesting to learn in class today that the bleach added to the water helps to prevent algae from growing in and around the water. If there was no bleach, the light would eventually be cut off because of the dark algae. Is there an even cheaper subsitute than this? Also- if there is bleach added, why do they use clean filtered water also? Wouldn’t the bleach clean any kind of fresh water? Why filtered?
That is actually a really good point. I don’t think that there is a cheaper substitute for bleach. And to your question of why filtered water, I think that they need to use clean water in order for the light to start out clear. I do not know what part of the world or what country this started in, but many countries water is so unclean, that they have things floating within it including dirt and other substances that bleach may not be able to clean.
Bleach is a great thing to break down most of the algae and other things that might eventually cause things to grow inside the water bottle. But why shouldn’t they be double safe and both filter out and then use bleach in order to maximize the lifespan of the bottle in order for the family to keep the light source for as long as they possibly can. So basically they are just trying to be as efficient as possible!
What a great way to bring light to a dark place without using electricity. People really make great inventions in dire situations. I will make a pledge to donate my old soda bottles to this cause. It is amazing how such a simple invention like this can make someone so happy. Also, this is a great alternative to electricity if you think about it.
Thats a interesting point that Olivia brings up. I was wondering why Demi decided to put bleach into the bottles of water. That is a very smart way to keep this electricity alternative working for a longer period of time. It is also a good question she brings up, why does he use filtered water? I think it would be even cheaper to use any form of fresh water.
Demi put bleach in the bottles of water to keep the water clean and pure to create a brighter light and to keep the light pure. this keeps the bottle light lasting longer. after a while the light will have to be changed. like after a couple of years.
I don’t remember what I was watching, though I think it was “Beyond 2000,” that showed a multistory building using a similar technique. On the roof, there were panels that allowed the light in, the light was collected by fiber-optic tubing, and transferred through out the building to prisms in the ceiling of most offices. It wasn’t much in terms of lighting, but it did allow some natural light into the offices which was hoped to help lift spirits.