At least twice every summer, I take my family up to our cottage in northern Michigan. The cottage is technically situated on Lake Huron, but it’s set about 200 yards off the water. It’s a longstanding tradition that we build a bonfire out on the beach, but going back and forth to the house used to be tricky. After a while, we lost all our flashlights in the sandy abyss.
As of just a few months ago, I’ve found a better means of lighting our way to the beach: solar path lights. If we happen to be visiting the cottage over Fourth of July weekend, the brilliant fireworks usually provide enough illumination. Failing that, we rely on the comforting glow of our solar-powered guides. These beacons draw their energy during the day from the sun and last until long after we’ve all gone to bed.