Sometimes I’ll admit to people that I’m a Republican, although I’ll usually say I’m a conservative because I think it sounds less offensive. Because if I’m a Republican, I must hate diversity, cast judgment on people who don’t think exactly like me, love money and God equally, and long to ruin the environment. I guarantee you none of those are true about me (or about most of my Republican friends).
In fact, we’re one of the most eco-conscious families I know. Here are some of the reasons why.
When we moved to Maryland, we actually purchased a larger home but because it’s more modern with more energy efficient building materials, our energy bill was lower. We replaced all of our light bulbs with extremely efficient LED bulbs. We bought Nest thermostats so we could manage our indoor temperature on a scheduled basis for efficiency. I even traded in my rather large family-sized vehicle for a smaller hybrid sedan (averaging 40 mpg) and my husband traded in his fuel-efficient sedan for an all electric vehicle!
But it doesn’t stop there. We even went as far as putting a Very Large Array of solar panels on the back of our house. While it was a hefty initial investment, the lack of any sort of energy bill to speak of allows us to break even every month and sometimes the energy company pays us!
Yes, I care about the environment and my carbon footprint and even saving money. But what I love is when I can do all that and benefit others.
The Consol Solar Jar
That’s why I was super excited to get a chance to review the Consol Solar Jar from The Grommet.
First, some background on The Grommet, a product launch platform based in Boston.
Since 2008, The Grommet has helped more than 2,000 early-stage consumer products to reach 450K customers to date. The Grommet’s Discovery Team selects only 3% of all products considered, helping Makers, entrepreneurs, and inventors to reach The Grommet’s 2 million email subscribers, 140,000+ social followers, and more than 6 million monthly visitors. As our Makers tell us, The Grommet provides exposure, credibility, and opportunity.
With that kind of platform, I expect to see the types of products come from The Grommet that I love best: innovative ones, and the Consol Solar Jar did not disappoint.
The Solar Jar is made from a 100% recyclable Mason jar that uses the power of the sun to charge its solar cells. Just a few hours in direct sunlight and the four LEDs are ready to shine. So with this claim, I put it to the test.
- It charged very quickly in direct sunlight.
- It was super easy to turn on and off.
- It’s been left outside for weeks (rain or shine) and looks as good as when I first received it.
- The light is bright yet subtle because it glows from under the lid of the mason jar.
“The light is bright enough to read by, yet soft enough to add charm to gardens and patios.”
Softly lit charm was what I was hoping to show you. We’ve been building a new deck on the back of our house for several months. I’ve repainted the lawn furniture, bought new cushions and an umbrella, and I was ready to show you a quaintly decorated deck ready for a spot on Pinterest. But we’re still working on it so instead I can simply show you how beautiful they are on their own.
And it was actually my husband that suggested putting colored glass beads in the jars for a more decorative look. MY HUSBAND!!! He’s not normally the decorative type. I do look forward to the deck eventually being finished and sitting down for some cool evenings and a mug of warm cider in the glow of the soft LED lights.
What You Should Know
- Founder Harald Schultz is a strong proponent of solar technology and is often called “Mr. Sunshine.”
- The other reason for Mr. Sunshine’s moniker is the light he brings to the lives South African workers. Formerly unemployed and under educated, the men and women who make the Consol Solar Jar now have living wage jobs, skills, and Mr. Sunshine’s love of sustainable solar technology.
- Created as a safe, sustainable alternative to the kerosene lamps used in the developing world, this Mason jar solar light is for every corner of the globe where protecting the environment is a priority.
- On a sunny day a full charging offers six to twelve hours of light
- On an overcast day, a full charging offers from one to three hours of light
- Waterproof (they submerged it up to 20m)
- Expected to last up to 8 years!!
And finally, the big question. How much? You can purchase these directly from The Grommet for $35 or $29.95 each when you buy two.
Since I could bring you my quaint backyard space, I hope this video will show you how beautiful they are (and everyone that has visited my house since I got them has commented on how much they love them!).