Waterford students use plastic bottles for bulbs

Members of the Waterford High School Science and Environment Club have hit upon a bright idea which they are optimistic will help to reduce their electricity bill, as well as have much wider applications beyond the walls of the St Catherine-based institution.

Under the guidance of their science teacher, the students have come up with a way to transform discarded transparent plastic drink bottles into 'solar bulbs', and are awaiting the results of two competitions in which they submitted a project, showcasing the practicality of the concept.

"All were amazed. They commended us for the hard work and innovation," science teacher Tera Rankine told The Gleaner during a recent visit to the school.

Convincing her students to go ahead with the idea which started at home was much harder, but now they are all sold on the idea.

discovery

"I was at home drinking water from the bottle, and when I held it up, some light reflected on the wall, and I said to my brother, "why is that happening, what is causing the light to reflect like that?" she recalled.

Following further discussions with her sibling, the teacher took the idea to school, but at first, the students were not impressed. Still, at her insistence, they began to collect the transparent drinking bottles to be found in abundance across the school yard and began experimenting. Soon they were convinced, and built a model classroom large enough to hold desk and chair, and accommodate at least one student and teacher and fitted with four of the plastic bottle bulbs.

Since then, they have scaled up the operation to install 16 of these 'bulbs' in a classroom which had been abandoned, in part because the electric wiring had gone bad. Now the classroom has been returned to active use and the school is looking at ways to further improve lighting in other areas, using this technique.

The bottles are first washed and filled with water with two drops of bleach and then installed in a hole in the zinc roof where it is held in place by strong glue and the area sealed with flash band, a material used by professionals to seal roofs to prevent leaking.

suitable roofs

The students went on to explain that while it could have a major impact in improving lighting and reducing electricity costs, the application is not for all types roofs, preferably structures with flat zinc roofs, which allows for expose of the bulbs to sunlight right throughout the day. They also recommend that it could be used in conjunction with regular lighting, since on an overcast or raining day the impact would be reduced.

Bleach is added to the water to ensure that micro-organisms do not thrive and develop into the green algae, commonly referred to as morass, and which would lessen the impact. They say the bulbs could have a shelf life of 20 years and of course are free of cost.