Liter of Light

Through a network of partnerships around the world, Liter of Light volunteers teach marginalized communities how to use recycled plastic bottles and locally sourced materials to illuminate their homes, businesses, and streets.

The technology is amazingly simple:  

You take a 1,5 liter PET bottle, fill it with water and some chlorine to keep the water clean, and then make a hole in the roof of the household & install the bottle – half outside half inside. The daylight that enters from above gets diffracted by the water and spreads the light into the room. During the day, it substitutes a 55 watt light bulb completely. The solution also works when the sky is clouded. There is still enough light getting inside the bottle, but of course the bottle will shine less brightly. The impact of installing these solar bulbs goes beyond providing light. It will lead to a better quality of life for the families, create new working opportunities and will reduce the carbon dioxide footprint.

Liter of Light is estimated to have installed more than 1 million lights in more than 15 countries, while having taught green skills to empower grassroots entrepreneurs at every stop. Liter of Light’s open source technology has been recognized by the UN and adopted for use in some UNHCR camps. 

More and more Liter of Light chapters have begun to develop kits to locally produce LED powered lamps which provide light also after sunset, e.g. for local street lighting. Typically, the upcycled PET bottles are used also for these upgraded solutions.

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