Plastic Bottle GreenhouseBy Rebecca Kiefer

Plastic bottles serve as good insulation for various establishments varying from houses to schools.

In my instance, they serve as the covering for a very small (model scale) greenhouse.

The project was done to project the idea into other’s minds that it is possible to make use everyday of materials for other purposes.

Introduction

Traditional method used for school (shown above) (hugitforward.org)

Thus, instead of throwing away these numerous plastic bottles that have been said to be able to reach the moon and back, (Wees.) we can prevent some from going into the landfill by using them as a building material.

Wees projected this based on a calculation he made from a sample he took from his class.

Wees has not been the only one to make this point – others have certified / proved this point.

Bottles to the moon and back

Why does this matter?SO, WHO CARES if the landfill grows? It does everyday, right?

And landfills can be turned into an attractive functional revenue pool like a golf course, …

The irony of the hidden problem

…a nature preserve, park, or garden, right?

The root of the problem

Yes, however, these transitions from trash pile to natural beauty require a strong initiative against legal issues, many man hours and tricky engineering to convert and high maintenance to monitor.

Also, when all this plastic grows in the landfill, some of the overflow is eventually incinerated, which gives off greenhouse gasses, which contribute to global warming…and global warming causes other issues that effect the Earth’s ecosystems and all that live in it.

Therefore, we need to recycle our plastic because it is made of petroleum, and this oil used to make plastic bottles is part of what becomes the hazardous problem during incineration.

“Each year, making the plastic water bottles used in the US takes enough oil and energy to fuel a MILLION cars.” (The Story of Bottled Water.)

“…even more to ship it around the planet, and then we drink it in 2 minutes [and dispose of it.]”

“…all that energy spent to make the bottle,”

Disposal of Plastic Bottles

“80% [of the bottles] end up in [the] landfill.”

From there, this is where the overflow is incinerated, “releasing toxic pollution.”

“Other excess bottles are shipped to India to be dumped in someone else’s backyard. ” So this is in fact a WORLD problem.

Where does the excess go?

What is the solution? Use the bottles for other uses or avoid

consuming numerous quantities of plastic bottles altogether.

This is where the reusable bottle is a beneficial trend.

The solution?

SO, the idea behind my project was to get people thinking of another use for the plastic bottle, and to show them how simple it may be for them to implement these or their own ideas, too!

Just the mere fact of realization is enough to shed light on the subject and promote awareness for a relative issue through product of a pertinent project.

Conclusion

How was it made?

Donated bottles were cut to remove the bottoms

And stacked inside each other

Coat hangers were fed through the stacks and stapled to the framing

Construction of the plastic walls

The four walls were constructed before the roof

The 2 liters were sturdier than the water bottles…

A work in progress

The Finished Product

Lights for literally shady housing (“A Liter of Light.”)

Another innovative use…

(screw on the cap tightly.)

“And make sure it’s sealed so the roof wont leak.” (using a drill here)

The verdict

“I never thought a soda bottle could brighten my home.” – woman featured on film

“The solar bottle has really brightened up my day.” Also great – less burning of fossil fuels

(coal)

An overlooked item

“We take this bottle for granted and now we can’t live without it.” – elderly woman on film

This website actually directs you to http://aliteroflight.org/

Where it explains that the first were installed in Manila in the Philippines

And now more than 15,000 “solar bulbs” have been installed in 20 Philippine cities.

Saving millions of pesos in electricity bills

One single LED is put in new bottles for night use

Follow up & Graphic

1 - Wees, Tim. “Bottles from here to the moon and back.” The Owen Sound Sun Times. 9 July 2008. PDF.

2- “The Story of Bottled Water.” Story of Stuff Project. PGM. 2010. <http://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-bottled-water/>

3- “A Liter of Light.” aliteroflight.org. 24 Aug. 2011. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Fpsw_yYPg>

4- APWA . “Converting a closed landfill into a golf course can provide an effective redevelopment alternative.”

American Public Works Association. Sept. 2004. Web.

Bibliography