This post is written in association with MSM Energy/Plastic Bottles

Philippino homes are given one million Liters of Light

If you had the choice between a light bulb you’d have to compare electricity prices and pay for, and one that came with no electricity bill, no batteries or, in fact, no consumable energy source whatsoever, and it would have a shelf life of years, not months, which would would you choose?

The founder of My Shelter Foundation, Illac Diaz, has announced an initiative he’s named ‘A Liter of Light’ (otherwise known as Isang Litrong Liwanag in Philippino), with big plans afoot, for millions of Philippino homes to be given one million liters of light.  Here is an example of how his Liters of Light plan works.

Philippino lives are transformed by Liters of Light from two liter soda bottles

First developed by students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the two liter bulb, made from soda bottles, caught Diaz’s attention, when he recognized that it had the potential to instantly transform the lives of millions of impoverished Filipinos, who are living without an electricity supply and in virtually constant darkness.

Invention

A Brazilian mechanic and inventor called Alfredo Moser, has been hailed as the energyless light bulb creator. It’s said that he came up with the idea, when he wanted to find a way of saving on his own energy bill, back in 2002.

Phillipino homes are seeing Liters of Light from water filled two liter bottles

Moser, decided to cut holes in the roof of his workshop.  Then he set Read the rest of this entry »

Well, here it is Saturday again.  I don’t know if you agree but, most Saturday evenings, there is just nothing on TV.  At least, that is what I thought last weekend, when I convinced my husband to watch “The Garbage Moguls,” on the science channel.  So, here I was watching this program, mouth hanging open in utter amazement, thinking UNBELIEVABLE!

If you didn’t know, this week has been National Compost week.  Most people that are into gardening, know that worm castings (vermicompost) is like black gold for your garden. I know this to be true, by working at a local worm farm, where developmentally  disabled adults maintain the worm bins. They chop after market fruits and vegetables, feed the worms, and then dry, sift and bag the castings.  You then, can make your own worm tea (liquified worm poop) from the bagged product (castings).

In 2001, two Princeton University students, Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer, set out to turn the concept of  worm compost, into a real-life commercially viable “green” business. Thus, TerraCycle was born.

The TerraCycle Story, is a story of Eco-Capitalism at its finest.  The flagship product,   TerraCycle Plant Food™, is 100% organic certified, liquid plant food, made from worm waste (poop).  It is then, packaged in reused soda bottles, the sprayers are other companies leftovers, and the boxes that they use for shipping, would have been trashed for printing mistakes.  To date, this company has kept at least 100 million tons of plastic bottles, juice pouches, and other types of packaging out of landfills.

Today, TerraCycle  can be credited for not only turning something as simple as worm poop, into a household name, but for leading the way in how we look at many environmental issues.  They look at new and innovative ways to take the waste that people and companies generate on a daily basis, and turn garbage, that would otherwise wind up in our landfills, into 100% profitable and usable products.

TerraCycle has teamed up with such companies as Office Max, Office Depot, WalMart and Home Depot, to name a few of their clients, to bring you new (from recycled material) and unique products.  The company collects all kinds of waste products, such as discarded electronics, soda bottles, drink pouches, cookie wrappers, and yes, worm poop (their flagship product) and turns it into household cleaners,  office supplies, backpacks and other usefully unique products.

This young and unique company, has not only successfully turned trash into gold, but they have given new meaning to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  They truly are working toward a better tomorrow for the entire planet!