When the good folks at the YouTube taught us that a delightful volcanic eruption occurs when Diet Coke and Mentos are combined<\/a>, we thought the wonders of the world-renowned soda had reached it’s peak. But in a recent video posted on the blog Notions Capital<\/a>, we see that the Coke bottle (well I suppose any\u00a02-liter clear plastic bottle would do) has a much more commendable potential than exploding into a fountain of high fructose corn syrup.<\/p>\n

Introducing\u00a0the zero-energy, zero-cost, solar-powered\u00a0light bulb.<\/p>\n

But how does it work, you ask?<\/p>\n

Find a big plastic soda\u00a0bottle, preferably from the trash to make it really eco-friendly. Wash it out and then\u00a0fill with water. Add a few capfuls of bleach to prevent the growth of algae. Screw the cap on tight.<\/p>\n

Snip a hole in the congregated tin roof of your house, lean-to or shack, and shove the bottle halfway through. Seal with caulk or some other type of water-tight substance.<\/p>\n

Wait for the\u00a0sun to shine through and, bam<\/em>!,\u00a0you have the equivalent of a 55-watt light bulb, sans electricity. For people living in the poorest regions of the world without access to, or money for\u00a0electric bulbs,\u00a0the bottle light has the potential to significantly improve the quality\u00a0of life, as Notions Capital describes it, for\u00a0“billions of poor people in sun-swept favelas<\/em>, shantytowns, and bidonvilles<\/em>\u00a0and scattered rural dwellings around the globe.”<\/p>\n

Will\u00a0the use of this\u00a0“light bulb” end poverty and restore equality for all?\u00a0I’m guessing not. But it is a\u00a0glowing example\u00a0of how\u00a0we as\u00a0convenience-minded humans\u00a0can\u00a0negotiate creative innovation in sustainable energy.<\/p>\n

Or, at the very least, we can\u00a0pimp out our dream treehouses.<\/p>\n

[Photo by sheeshoo\/Flickr<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n

By Jenna Blumenfeld<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jenna Blumenfeld, (Jenna Ogden Blumenfeld when she’s in really big trouble) hails from the wee state of Connecticut. Although her childhood dream of becoming a bug doctor — with a specialization in ladybugs — has gone unfulfilled, she is content writing about travel, cuisine and culture. A vegetarian, she currently resides in the food hub of Boulder, Colorado. Read more of her food-centric writing at NewHope360.com<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the good folks at the YouTube taught us that a delightful volcanic eruption occurs when Diet Coke and Mentos are combined, we thought the wonders of the world-renowned soda had reached it’s peak. But in a recent video posted on the blog Notions Capital, we see that the Coke bottle (well I suppose any\u00a02-liter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":12197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1,2561],"tags":[2365,2279,207,2366,2364],"yoast_head":"\n