The Light Bag

This unit of Urban Planning was entirely focused on electricity. So much of what we learn in STEAM classes at GCE often relates back to electricity...and it isn't a bad thing. This unit, however, was devoted entirely to electricity. We learned about the War of the Currents, Ohm's Law, a bit about Benjamin Franklin, AC vs DC, almost everything related to circuits, different kinds of electricity, and more. Near the end of this unit, we touched on ways to be more efficient with electricity and talked to someone who works in this area on a virtual FE. This all led to the main objective of the AP. For this AP, we were required to use the electrical parts sent to us via mail, create a circuit, and add additional components from our own homes to make an energy efficient design that connected to a target for Sustainable Development Goal 7. I really enjoyed this unit because, not only did I developed a better understanding of circuits, how they work, and how they are applied to modern day electronics, but it was fun tinkering around with the components at my kitchen table. Also, I feel my design has a lot to offer those living in energy poverty. I hope you enjoy!

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Captured by SN

Captured by SN

This is my parallel circuit. A parallel circuit is a circuit with an additional pathway. I made an additional pathway for the circuit myself. It is made of a paperclip, lightbulb, wire, tenfold, and string. The circuit itself consists of a battery, three lightbulbs, a switch, and an additional pathway. The entire circuit is controlled by the main switch which allows electricity to pass through and into the rest of the circuit. Turning it off interrupts the electrical path from the battery to the rest of the circuit. There is another switch located on the parallel path that opens an electrical current shortcut, sparing more energy to the lightbulb ahead, than the one it normally flows through when the switch is off. The parallel switch consists of a wire that can be connected to the paper clip, lightbulb, wire, tenfold, and string. The first picture is the circuit with the parallel switch off, and the second one is with the circuit on.

Captured by SN

Sustainable Development Goal 7 ensures access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. My design is a grocery bag that provides light - the Light Bag. For the prototype, I used a paper bag. Ideally, the bag would be reusable and made from recycled materials. It would have a small solar panel (like a calculator) to eliminate the need for batteries. My design is intended to serve many purposes - reusable grocery bag, personal safety device, and a source of light, when necessary.

The Light Bag design would replace the standard flashlight. Typically, a standard flashlight uses two D cell batteries, which combine to create 3 volts (Gold). Currently, the Light Bag uses one AA battery at 1.5 volts, cutting the voltage in half (not to mention making it lighter to carry). If the Light Bag were to be developed further, it would run on solar power, eliminating the need for a battery. This would not only save the user money but it would reduce waste, as well.

In Haiti, electricity is a political issue. Only about 25% of the population has access to energy and, those who have it, rarely have it all day. Haitians fall victim to routine blackouts. The power outages are the result of fuel shortages that lead to fuel rationing and gas station closures. The national electrical grid is small and inefficient (Beckett). In blackout situations, Haitians resort to using wood, charcoal, and kerosene to light their homes/businesses, and to cook their food. For Haitians, blackouts symbolize their poverty and dependence on a corrupt government that doesn’t care for them.

One of the targets set for SDG 7 is to "ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services" (“Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform”). Grocery bags are universal, and some users have to carry them back home, full of produce, late at night. The Light Bag design is functional on many levels. It makes late night runs to and from the marketplace much safer, not only for the user, but for drivers who appreciate the visibility. Since street crime and rape are issues in underprivileged areas, the bag would also serve as a source of safety by shedding light as a mom or daughter walks home in the dark. In an ideal world, the bag would also sense a struggle and begin to flash rapidly and emit an alarming noise to scare off criminals. Lastly, the bag would be used at home when there is a routine blackout. The Light Bag could give families a sense of security and confidence during an uncertain time.

The Light Bag design would be distributed to poverty-stricken areas all over the globe. I would use a one-for-one model, like Tom's shoes or Bombas socks. I would create a charitable, more fashionable, non-illuminating reusable bag people could purchase at the store and, in return, donate a Light Bag to areas in need.

Illustrated by SN

This is a diagram of my parallel circuit. This diagram consists of information I have not gone over with you yet. On this diagram, there is the voltage of the battery, resistance of each lightbulb, and electrical current. The voltage is the pressure of electricity, the resistance is the opposition to the  flow of electricity, and the current is the rate at which electricity flows. Each of these are factors of Ohm's Law, which is an equation used to find either the voltage, current, or resistance of something electrical with the other two factors you are given. For example, if I want to find the voltage of something and know its current and resistance, I multiply them together to get the voltage.

Let's say this is all of the information I know about my circuit:

- The battery contains 1.5V (volts)

- Each lightbulb has a resistance of 2Ω (ohms)

I want to find my circuit's total resistance, total current, and current in each resistor. To find the total resistance in a parallel circuit, I must take the resistance from each resistor, put them into fractions with like denominators, and add them together.

1/2Ω + 1/2Ω + 1/2Ω = 3/2Ω → 2Ω/3 = 0.6Ω

Now that I have the total resistance, 1.333Ω, I must find the total current by using Ohm's Law. According to Ohm's Law, you get the current by dividing the voltage by the resistance.

1.5V / 0.6Ω = 2.5A (amps)

I can also find the current in each individual resistor by dividing the voltage by their resistance.

1.5V / 2Ω = 0.75A

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For this Urban Planning AP, I needed to build a functioning circuit, create an architectural cover, design a specific green solution, and connect the concept to Sustainable Development Goal 7. I chose target 7.1, which aims to “ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.” I chose to create something universal, yet multi-functional - a reusable grocery bag that provides light and a sense of security. In many corners of the world, access to reliable and sustainable energy is only for the privileged. Across the globe, citizens in countries, like Haiti, experience routine blackouts and routine crime. Using a one-for-one charity model, the Light Bag would serve as a carryall, increase visibility, and shed light when necessary. If this product were to be developed further, it would include a small solar panel, eliminating waste. Around one in seven people do not have access to electricity and 3 billion still cook with fuels like kerosene, wood, and charcoal, which pollute our atmosphere (Indrawati). Ending energy poverty deserves to be addressed, not just for the planet, but for humanity.

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CITATIONS

Beckett, Greg. “Routine Blackouts in Haiti Symbolize a Loss of Political Power for Its Citizens.” The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2019, theconversation.com/routine-blackouts-in-haiti-symbolize-a-loss-of-political-power-for-its-citizens-110950.

Gold, Phil. “Phil! Gold.” Phil! Gold, 2017, aperiodic.net/phil/archives/Geekery/buying-batteries.html.

Indrawati, Sri Mulyani. “What You Need to Know about Energy and Poverty.” World Bank Blogs, 2015, blogs.worldbank.org/voices/what-you-need-know-about-energy-and-poverty.

“Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.” United Nations, United Nations, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/.