Beautiful, practical, sustainable solar lighting.
I could carry on and use even more words to describe these wonderful solar lights. They look fabulous, work brilliantly and provide jobs and education to the artisans who create them.
These fabulous lights were originally developed for use in Africa in areas where traditional lighting fuels are unavailable, in short supply or prohibitively priced. The lights use solar power and will change after just a few hours sitting in the sun. Once fully charged, you’ll receive bright enough light to use to read by and the record running time is a full fourteen hours.(Although eight to twelve is more common, depending on the sunlight available).
But this is more than a stylish, eco-friendly product. They are manufactured in South Africa and the artisans who make them were previously unemployed and unskilled. The manufacturing company trains their employees and run educational programmes for the artisans and their families. They decided to use robust glass mason jars for their lanterns as the glass is sturdy, attractive and one hundred percent recyclable.
They are waterproof too so you can leave them outside permanently if you wish. Even if you live in Florida as I do, high temperatures and fierce sun won’t damage them (although they shouldn’t be left out in freezing conditions) and the manufacturers say that they should last for at least eight years.
They are splendid for alfresco dining, for patio parties or simply livening up your outdoor areas but many users report that they are invaluable when camping. People who have used them for camping or hiking trips report that they are far superior to flashlights. They are also convenient to have around as emergency lighting in the event of power outages.
What’s more, you can personalise the jars by adding whatever contents you wish – shells, sand, marbles, pebbles and so on and this means that you can change the décor depending on your mood or the occasion. They look fabulous hanging or simply placed on a flat surface and I can recommend them highly for beach barbecues.
They also make terrific gifts – see more reviews on Amazon.
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