Lighting is something that we take for granted in the developed world,
but there are still many areas around the globe where people lack
reliable access to light at night. They often use kerosene lamps, which
contribute to indoor pollution and have to be refilled with oil
regularly. Aisa Mijeno, an engineering professor who worked for years
with Greenpeace Philippines, noticed during her work there that many
indigenous people in the over-7,000 islands that make up the country
were using kerosene lamps
exclusively for lighting. The family she lived with there would have to
climb down the mountain that they lived on and then walk an additional
30 km to the nearest town in order to get more oil to fuel their lamps.