Delighted at d.light today — and in the lobby, I noticed the statue we gave them for their first funding in 2007

We dropped in to surprise management with a little gift today.

Their latest impact report shows 30 million lives benefitted by their portable solid-state lighting in the developing world, where 2 billion people live without access to electricity, and use kerosene lamps and candles for lighting. (recent press)

Ironically, kerosene lighting is one of the most expensive ways to light a home (consuming up to 30% of family income in many cases). Kerosene lamps kill or seriously burn millions of children per year, and are a leading cause of indoor air pollution. Over a five-year period, one kerosene lamp releases one ton of CO2 into the air (equivalent to driving a car from SF to NYC).