For the green consumer, rechargeable batteries are a great way to prevent toxic chemicals like alkaline from finding their way into landfills, or just reducing the cost of buying fresh, disposable batteries.
Whether they are used for loading up a digital camera for fresh photos, bringing along a portable stereo to the beach or using anything that needs a battery, there are now more options for rechargeable batteries than there were even five years ago. Over time, it costs less to buy rechargeables than to buy a fresh pack every time a battery dies.
However, a frequent complaint about rechargeable or “green” batteries is how they don’t hold a charge that long. What options are out there to either get a long lasting battery, or find a way to charge batteries that is neither invasive, complicated nor sparks up the electricity bill? The solution: use a solar charged battery charger, and have backups in the form of USB driven chargers, to be used while working on a laptop, or computer.
USB Powered Chargers for Rechargeable Batteries
Companies like RCA’s Aircharger, Pure Energy’s RAMCell, and USBcell by Moixa, use existing USB ports on equipment like computers, to recharge. As a desktop or laptop computer may already be in use, it reduces the amount of extra plugs in the house that are being used, without using up more electricity than is already in use.
Advantages of Solar-powered Chargers over Electric Battery Chargers
Sanyo’s Eneloop charger has the advantage of being sold pre-charged, where most alkaline rechargables are not; an advantage to having a solar charger is the low cost of operation. Portable solar chargers like Solio build theirs for items like cell phones, iPods and other hand-held entertainment devices.
Instead of plugging the charger in to an electrical socket, a solar powered charger can be left on a sunny window sill, or even the car’s dashboard to power up. For cloudy days, such devices can still be left near a window to catch some ambient light, but would likely take more time to charge.
Alternately, it can be placed near light that is already on, such as a desk lamp, but that might defeat the purpose for those who buy to save hydro costs. Passive electric gadgets have the advantage of not requiring anything more than exposure to light, where electrically powered chargers need an outlet.
Where to Find “Green” Batteries
Gone are the days when finding low-waste products meant hunting in out-of-way locations, or making complicated orders. Nowadays, even big-box stores, such as Best Buy, Costco and Canadian Tire can sell rechargeable batteries and sometimes, solar chargers. Going to the manufacturers’ websites can also yield information as to which country sells them (and at which stores.)
Naomi Szeben - Six-time Editor's Choice Award winner Naomi Szeben puts life into "green and simple living" articles for Suite 101.com. She graduated ...
