What do you do with the bottle after you’ve consumed your litro of Coke? Most often than not you just throw it away, right? Even if you want to recycle it, there’s not much recycling centers in our country. Recently I met an enthusiastic group whom you might want to donate those empty bottles. They’re called the MyShelter Foundation and they have a project called Isang Litrong Liwanag (Solar Bottle Project).
Isang Litrong Liwanag aims to provide light to households who do not have access to light and electricity. According to statistics from the National Electrification Commission in 2009, 3 million households still remain powerless outside Metro Manila. To help solve this, the foundation came up with a solution which uses an empty PET bottle, water, and readily available chemicals. They will install the Solar Bulb on the roof of shanties and through refraction from sunlight, the device illuminates the house. The device provides the full spectrum of light to come into the home and this has healthy effects. A Solar Bottle is basically maintenance-free and would last up to 5 years. After 5 years, all that needs to be done is to refill the bottle with the special solution, if the PET bottle is still adequate for reuse. In other words, this contraction is very sustainable and add to the fact that it’s the better alternative to what’s currently being done by some households which is to illegally tap electricity – a fire hazard which destroys countless lives as we have witnessed from news reports just recently.
PET Bottle bins can be deposited at the back of the Insular Life buildings in both Makati and Alabang. If you want to do more for the organization, they are looking for volunteers and sponsors.
Here are some photos which I got from the organization. I took some photos when I visited a project site but I didn’t like they way they came out. I might post some of them later.
- Solar Bottle installation
- Example of a house without light
- Example of a home with installed solar bottle bulb
I hope you will consider donating your time or empty bottles to MyShelter Foundation. It’s for a good cause and it will lessen the garbage in our landfills.
To find out more about Isang Litrong Liwanag, visit their website at http://www.aliteroflight.org. You may also follow them on Twitter @literoflight or see their videos on Youtube ALiterOfLight.
10 Comments
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Filipina, 30-something, happy-go-lucky, hedonist, foodie, luxist, depressive, obese, daughter, sister, cat-lover, blogger, white-collar worker. 
Hi, im so curious about this bottle and i wanna try it myself. Do you know where i can buy the solution in isang litrong liwanag plastic bottle?
Thanks.
Hi Willy! The solution is just 95% water and 5% chlorine but it’s impractical to buy a bottle of chlorine if you’re only going to use a little. You can approach the Solar Bottle Project and they’re willing to install in your home for free as far as I know
I’ve seen this featured on TV. I thought this is a really cool project, it will greatly benefit a lot of people in our country.
Um, nothing more to say. Nice blog by the way.
Thanks for dropping by
Hi! karen
greetings, how to join myshelter foundation
thanks god bless
Hi! You can leave a message on the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Liter-of-Light-Isang-Litrong-Liwanag/181127878593329
Hey gurl.. This is awesome.. I wanna try it.. perhaps it can help more people here in Mindanao too..
Dharlz,
You should contact them!
hi,
nag-install po ako dati ng solar bulb using 1.5 liter pet bottle pero hindi umilaw.pde malaman saan ang office nyo gusto ko kasing magpaturo..thanks
I’m not a part of the group pero eto yung address nila.
210 Loring Street, 1300 Pasay City, Philippines
Good luck!