Why Solar Lanterns Are a Game-Changer for Climate and Humanitarian Aid

Climate Confident

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In this episode of Climate Confident, I speak with Alice Chun, inventor of the world’s first inflatable, origami-inspired solar light and founder of Solight Design. Alice shares how a career in material technology and a deeply personal experience with her son’s asthma led her to tackle energy poverty, disaster relief, and carbon emissions with a single, deceptively simple product: the SolarPuff™.

We discuss the staggering health and environmental toll of kerosene lighting, especially in off-grid and disaster-affected communities — and how collapsible, durable solar lanterns are not only cleaner and safer, but can also act as tools for education, safety, and psychological recovery.

Alice walks us through the practical design choices (like sailcloth and origami folds) that make the lights lightweight, shippable, and long-lasting. She also unpacks her field experiences from Haiti to Ukraine, why she insists on personally delivering lights, and the complex balance of running a mission-driven company that also needs to survive commercially.

Key takeaways:

• Why light access is essential for disaster resilience and safety
• How solar design can scale through beauty, durability, and function
• The unexpected link between solar tech and trauma recovery in children
• What business models can sustain social impact in climate tech

For more, visit https://solight-design.com or head to climateconfidentpodcast.com.

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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper