I had to share this idea.

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
They put water in a clear plastic soda bottle and put it is the celing so the top is on the roof and and bottom is in the house, and use it as a light bulb w/ the sun. One bottle equals roughly a 50 watt bulb and no electricity. The article is set in South America I believe, anyway areas where the construction would allow (no attack space like here)

 

[Delaney]

That is awesome. I am getting ready to build my coop and I think I will put one or two in mine. I do live were it gets cold but I think that if you leave room for it to freeze and switch them out every so often they will still work, at least for the majority of the year. But have two question, what size bottle do they use and do you think that it would make the moisture in your coop worse in the winter with condensation?

 

[barnaut]

I think it's a great idea even if you can't use it in the winter. But honestly it is so inexpensive I dont see why you couldn't make a new one after each winter if it does get brittle. I can't wait to try it

 

[darkmatter]

Something similar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_wall

In time a freezing climate and prolonged sunlight deteriorates plastic----but I suppose it would be easy to replace as the plastic bottle disintegrates.
Why not use transparent roofing if you can afford it or have access to it.
As a "appropriate technology", it's a good idea for where it's proposed to be used at.

With the current economy, once I retire to that refrigerator box under the overpass, I might have use for that idea.

 

[hallerlake]

Quote:
It looked like a two liter bottle.

 

[drumstick diva]

If you used a glass bottle the weight might make it fall thru their thin roof. Also glass shattering is more harmful that a cracked plastic bottle. I don't think they could afford some translucent plastic for the roof. Also the idea of the metal flashing around the bottle was to reflect more light. On cloudy days they are out of luck. But still what a good idea, simple and cheap. A great place to start.

 

[hallerlake]

Quote:
Sometimes when people are retrofitting a shed or something to use as a coop, they don't want to replace the roof. This would work to diffuse light around the whole interior.

 

[TigerLilly]

I've been reading about this also. I'm going to try it in an old tin shed that I am turning into a 'barn.'
If the electric company insists on raising the rates here, I may do it to the house as well!

 

[hallerlake]

Quote:
Even on a cloudy day it would let in some light.

 

[ceeceeholt]

What a great idea, thanks for sharing this video!