Lights Up Christchurch inventors Simon and Vanessa Dyer have resuscitated their green technology company and say they’re digging in for the long haul. The Christchurch couple created a small export enterprise called 2C which specialises in using sustainable technology for wearable, usable every day products.

Their flagship invention is a water resistant solar powered cap that uses LED to light up a six foot area in front of the user, leaving hands free, with no need for a torch. Before the earthquake they were filling orders for the revolutionary cap, from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Russia and France. The cap also won a Highly Commended at the Australian Consensus Green Tech Awards.

However the business was in danger of floundering after the earthquake which severely damaged their house in Woolston and collapsed their warehouse space. With the help of friends and their two teenage sons, they’ve finished a big clean up and say they are back in business. “It’s ironic that a Christchurch business is producing survival gear that’s invaluable in the current post earthquake situation.

“So we’re pleased to be back on our feet – and we intend to stay in Christchurch.”

First, they have donated $3,000 worth of caps to the Christchurch rescue and recovery efforts. Simon says while they were driving to deliver caps to the welfare centre in areas with the biggest power losses, Aranui and Brighton, they handed them out to people along the way. “A clean up’s easier when you can see what you’re doing,” he says. “And the caps mean you don’t have to stop working when dark falls.”

They’re still busy charging up caps to hand out to clean up teams around the city and suburbs. Simon and Vanessa are also discounting their 2C Solar Light Caps to Christchurch buyers and will donate another cap for use in the power outage areas or $10 to the Red Cross for every cap bought online. Simon says they’d like to continue to support disaster relief funds and suggests other small businesses could to do the same.

(They also handed out caps after the September quake, with endurance athlete and adventure racer Steve Gurney a keen user. )

You can check out the caps in use at w

http://www.youtube.com/solarlightcap#p/a/u/0/DKfMF5se3NI

http://www.youtube.com/solarlightcap#p/a/u/1/NEGJb74kvKU

http://www.youtube.com/solarlightcap#p/u/5/GJ2gIMDWBQw

ENDS

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