“José Alano is a model of creativity in tackling environmental problems in Brazil.
In 2002, the retired mechanic transformed a pile of plastic bottles and cartons into a solar water heater. Since then, thousands of people in southern Brazil have benefited from Alano’s invention, saving money while reducing waste.
The idea came from the lack of recycling collection services in his small home town of Tubarão. Refusing to throw plastic bottle, carton and other recyclable waste into the landfill, José Alano soon realized he had a problem: a room full of rubbish.
Using his basic knowledge on solar water heating systems, he and his wife built an alternative version using 100 plastic bottles and 100 milk cartons. ‘It worked perfectly well, and we got rid of our waste in a responsible way,’ he says…”
