I met Joan from SunNight Solar yesterday (she came to the Ladies Who Lunch weekly outing) and thought I had already posted about BOGO lights here on the site; I am always talking about them with friends and have even tweeted about them. I could not believe it when I came on here this morning and couldn’t find a post about them! That immediately prompted me to explore their site again and I am still mesmerized by all the good that SunNight Solar is doing with their BOGO product and programs. The light is a flashlight that runs on 100% solar power. You can charge it in the sun, even through a window, and they recommend discharging the battery by leaving it on for 15 hours at least once a month to preserve battery life. According to the FAQ, the battery will last between 3 and 5 years even with daily use. The best part is when you buy a light, SunNight Solar ships a light to one of a number of non-profit organizations in developing countries. In their own words:
Lighting is one of the easiest things in the world to take for granted, assuming you live in the developed parts of our planet and there is no interruption of the power flow from your electrical grid. And if you reside in most parts of Africa, much of Latin America, large sections of Southeast Asia – you are forced to rely on kerosene, candles and conventional flashlights when the sun sets – in fact, there are two billion people who still rely on these outdated and expensive options for illumination. Now, with our SunLight series of flashlights, we are changing the way light is provided and the impact on the world will be immense – with your help.
Right now they are challenging themselves to get one light in the hands of each soldier stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq through their WarLights program. So far, the results have been great; reading the accounts from the troops is truly heart-warming.
Also heart warming are the pictures of children in Africa holding up their BOGO lights; and reading Mark’s blog entry about people distributing lights in Kijabe Kenya. This is the type of company I want to support. They are giving the gift of light while diminishing the environmental impact. And you can too! Buy your BOGO light now; buy one for everyone on your Christmas or holiday list!