Here are some brilliant solutions to everyday problems of the have-nots and the better off all over the world. These examples show that you can make do and do it really well.
By Penny K
Pop-Up Playhouse
The brainchild of Liya Mairson, My Space is a design-minded playhouse that folds away for easy storage. A clever invention perfect for modern-day abodes that are getting humbler yet continue to house children with imaginations that aren’t getting any smaller. It is roomy enough for kids ages three to six and collapses into a flat panel when playtime’s over to be stowed away easily under the bed or against a wall. A plaything that makes both children and parents say yay.
Floating School
To cope with constant flooding, many children in Dhaka, Bangladesh are enrolling in classes conducting in floating classrooms to gain access to education. Melting glaciers in the Himalayas has led to flooding from bouts of heavy rain, leaving Bangladeshis worried that what little land they call home are quietly submerging. The United Nations estimates that by the end of the century 18 per cent of the country will disappear, leaving 30 million people displaced. The concept of the floating school was implemented by charity Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha. The boat makes it way along winding rivers in muddy villages as students wait on dock. Once the class arrives, they jump aboard (30 students to a teacher) for up to four hours a day, six days a week. The charity hopes to get more funding to build more boats and reach at least 180,000 students.
Read more about the floating classroom here.
Folding Bikes
Bicycles are an excellent mode of transportation that’s a little tiring but really cheap and green – greener than commuting via public transport. Even so, bicycles are restricted to places like cycling lanes and parks. With folding bikes now you can cycle, fold and carry it around with you without having to park and risk getting your fantastic bike stolen. CNN reports, “In fast-developing countries such as China, bicycles are seen as the lowest common denominator of urban mobility. In lower-density regions such as North America and Australia, biking is a primarily recreational activity. Northern Europe remains the traditional stronghold of urban cycling. Taiwan and Japan cultivate a growing proportion of folding bikes.” We Singaporeans should start embracing cycling too! Some excellent folding bike options include Brompton, CarryMe, Strida and Birdy.
Self-watering plants
You don’t have the time to make your own terrarium, neither do you want to pay through your nose for one so how about getting one of Grobal’s self-watering pots? At USD 29.95 you get a plant that takes care of itself so you can go about your own life while your Grobal shrub stays nice and healthy on its own. Not having the time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have plants at all.
Have you come across a creative solution to an everyday problem? Drop a comment!
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