It’s not unusual these days to get through loads of batteries, since we seem to have an increasing number of gadgets. The Deluxe Battery Wizard can help you save money on the batteries you buy, simply by charging up non-rechargeable batteries (i.e. standard alkaline batteries) up to 10 more times! You can charge up to 4 batteries at a time, and you can recharge all of the major battery types, namely AAA, AA, C, D and 9v PP3 batteries.

You can recharge ordinary alkaline batteries and rechargeable Ni-Cad or Ni-Mh batteries with the battery wizard. The status of each battery is shown on the LCD display on the charger unit. The unit is powered from the 240V mains and will automatically shut off once the batteries have been charged in order to save energy. The battery wizard is a great way to squeeze a little extra life out of your batteries before you recycle them.

The Deluxe Battery Wizard is the battery charger non-rechargeable batteries, since the built-in micro-controller ensures that the batteries get topped up as much as possible without damaging them.

The Deluxe Battery Wizard is available for £24.95 plus delivery.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Deluxe Battery Wizard – Standard Battery Recharger article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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The projects include:

• Making batteries from everyday items
• Solar power generator
• Sneaky sources of wires
• Sneaky eco-wristband
• Food/Cereal box magazine and file holder
• Sneaky book safe
• Recycling multi-bin
• Sneaky solar-motor
• And lots more!

Sneaky Green Uses on Amazon.com for around $10.39 and Sneaky Green Uses on Amazon.co.uk for around £6.93. I’ve got Cy’s other books on Sneaky Uses, and they’re a great read. Certainly an entertaining way to spend a rainy weekend!

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Sneaky Green Uses for Everyday Things Book article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

Ever wanted to make your own speakers? These DIY Eco Speakers by Merkury allow you to decorate and create your own speakers. The speakers are compatible with most MP3 and music players that have a standard 3.5mm headphone socket.

The Eco Speakers are made from 70% recycled cardboard. If they get a little dirty, they can be wiped clean too. You even get a pack of colouring pencils to create your own unique designs. You can also add your own stickers and labels too if you wish.

The speaker kit is available from Urban Outfitters for $18 in the US, or £16 in the UK.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the DIY Cardboard Eco Speakers article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

The Source Project by Oliver Craig is an innovative concept that encourages us to drink tap water rather than using plastic bottles that play havoc with the environment. You purchase a re-usable drinking bottle from a shop, and then you’re able to top up the bottle for free using a handy water dispenser. Each time you top up your water bottle, you also earn credits or points, which you could then redeem at any participating store.

To top up the water bottle, you just push it into the dispensing receptacle. Within seconds the plastic bottle is filled, and then you can drink from it. The bottle also features a RFID chip, which is credited with points each time you refill the bottle. The aim of the credits is to encourage you to reuse the bottle as many times as possible.

If the bottle was a little larger, and there were plenty of water filling points around, then this is a fantastic idea. I’d happily use it. One main concern I would have would be over hygiene. Details of how hygeine is maintained has not been specified on the design. The filling part of the refill station would need to have a significant degree of design to ensure harmful bacteria are not spread through the receptacles.

Source: YankoDesign

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Source Water Bottle And Dispenser System article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

We seem to take batteries for granted these days, barely giving them a second thought. Most gadgets need batteries in one form or another, and most batteries are not great for the environment. Rechargeable batteries reduce the number of one-use batteries that we use, but rechargeable batteries still use harmful materials.

Well here are some interesting facts about batteries to encourage you to think a little more carefully about what batteries you buy.

1. The First Batteries

The first battery was created by Alessandro Volta in 1798. The first rechargeable battery has been around since 1859, when French physicist Gaston Plante invented the lead acid cell. The lead acid cell is still used in cars today.

However, evidence of batteries dates back to over 2000 years ago. In 1938, Wilhelm Konig discovered in Iraq a 5 inch pottery jar containing a copper cylinder encased in an iron rod. This is believed to be an ancient form of battery.

2. Rechargeable Batteries

Batteries work due to a chemical reaction inside the battery that causes electrons to flow from the negative to positive terminal of the battery. When all of the chemicals inside the battery have reacted, the battery is spent. When you recharge a battery, you’re essentially reversing the chemical reaction using electrical energy.

3. Battery Energy Usage

The energy used to manufacture rechargeable and single-use batteries is 50 times greater than the electrical energy they produce when been discharged.

4. The Memory Effect

This is an effect that nickel-cadmium (NiCad) rechargeable batteries suffer from. If a NiCad battery is recharged before being discharged fully, it ‘forgets’ that it is able to discharge any more energy.

For example, pretend a battery is capable of storing 100 units of energy. You use 40 units, then charge the battery up again to 100 units. In your mind, the battery contains 100 units again, but the memory effect means the battery essentially can only release up to 40 units of energy.

5. No Battery Lasts Forever

All batteries, including rechargeables, eventually die. This is because the chemicals inside the battery degrade over time and with usage.

6. UK Battery Regulations

From 1st January 2010, all manufacturers and importers of batteries in to the UK will be responsible for the cost of collection and recovery of waste batteries. Thankfully, there are battery recycling services who will handle the battery recycling for you. It won’t be long before other countries start to follow this regulation too.

7. Mercury in Batteries

The single largest source of mercury metal is found in household batteries, particularly in alkaline and button cells.

Legislation from the EU Parliament, namely WEEE Directive 2003, states that manufacturers of alkaline batteries have made a commitment to remove all mercury from batteries. However, mercury is an integral part of button batteries and cannot be eliminated completely.

8. Nickel Cadmium in Batteries

One NiCad mobile phone or power tool battery is enough to pollute 600,000 litres of water! That’s equivalent to a third of an Olympic sized swimming pool.

9. Losing Charge

Rechargeable batteries will lose a percentage of their charge each day when left off the charger. Therefore try and charge rechargeable batteries hours before you intend to use them.

You should also avoid leaving rechargeable batteries discharged for long periods of time, otherwise the batteries will degrade much more quickly when left discharged for 6 months or more.

10. Terms such as “Heavy Duty” are misleading

Since there are no real industry standards for batteries, many terms used by battery manufacturers have become misleading marketing hype. Although the terms didn’t start out as being misleading, “Heavy Duty” batteries are often the least powerful batteries you can buy!

Further resources and facts

I used a number of resources when compiling facts for this article. This is a list of all the resources I used:

• Energizer – Battery Care
• Rebatt UK – Battery Facts
• How Stuff Works – Batteries
• Battery Back – Battery Recycling
• Green Batteries – Battery Myths (recommended reading)

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the 10 Interesting Facts about Batteries article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

It’s all well and good getting these fancy energy saving gadgets, but what do we do with all the old gadgets we’ve got? Recycling electronic devices is not that easy, so here are 10 eco-friendly ways to recycle your gadgets rather than send them to landfill.

1. Sell your stuff on eBay – ok, so that’s an old tip, but it’s worth getting some cash for your gadgets first of all. The best form of recycling is reuse.
2. Swap your old mobile phone for cash – there are a number of companies who will give you money in return for your old mobile phone. There are lots to choose from, so shop around to find the one that pays the best!
3. Give your gadgets away to friends and family – if you know someone who’d appreciate something you no longer need, just give it to them. It’ll probably make their day, and your unwanted electronics get another use.
4. Give away your gadgets on Freecycle – If you’ve never heard of Freecycle, it’s basically a local group where you offer bulky items you no longer want for free. It’s designed to give items a second home that you couldn’t otherwise sell. So if you have no friends or family, Freecycle is a great option!
5. Send your stuff back to the Manufacturer – Companies such as Dell and Apple now have their own recycling programmes, where they’ll recycle your old computer or ipod for free.
6. Use a professional recycling service – this kind of service will safely and appropriately dispose of your electrical waste. Increasingly, there are tighter regulations for safe waste disposal, potentially resulting in large fines if you don’t comply.
7. Give your old computer another purpose – If you have a old computer, you could use it as a home server, photo frame or something else. Just be wary, old computers are not always that energy efficient.
8. Find a local recycling center myGreenElectronics and earth911 both have zip-code searches so that you can find local recycling points near you. The search results will tell you the type of facility (such as a charity, business, or service) and exactly what you can recycle there.
9. Ask for ideas – if you have something very specific to recycle, but have no idea on how to recycle, then just ask some fellow eco-enthusiasts how do I recycle this? You’ll get plenty of useful ideas on just about everything you can think of, and not just gadgets!
10. Turn your gadgets into furniture – if you’re slightly bonkers artistic, you could turn your old computers into furniture. It might not be very comfortable, but at least it’s eco friendly!

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the 10 Ways to Recycle your Gadgets article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

These smart packaging ideas use corrugated cardboard instead of any plastics for packaging popular consumer gadgets. The designer Emile Bertrand-Villemure wanted to protect the environment, re-use cardboard and create attractive-looking packaging in a single design.

Since most gadgets use a combination of plastic bags, expanded plastic foam and air-filled plastic padding, it would be good to achieve the same degree of protection without using any plastic. Since you can easily cut and layer cardboard, it’d be really easy to create complex shapes that are moulded to the gadget you’re trying to protect. The packaging might be a little heavier, but it would certainly be a lot more eco-friendly. We just need to use an eco-friendly glue too!

I think that Emile is really on to something!

Source: Packaging Uqam

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the 100% Eco Friendly Packaging for Gadgets article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

If you want a fantastic eco-friendly gift that’s a little different, then these scented pencils are made from recycled newspaper and use biodegradable erasers at the end. The pencils are designed to keep their scent for at least 2 years, and are available in scents such as Bubble Gum, Blueberry, Orange, Cherry, Toasted Marshmallow, Chocolate, Strawberry, Cinnamon Candy, Grape, Pineapple, Raspberry, Green Apple and many more!

Given that there are so many ‘flavours’, you’ll typically get a random selection of the different pencils available. I’m sure that these will go down well with any child or adult with any artistic flair. The only downside with these pencils is that they come in plastic containers, which pretty much defeats the eco-friendly nature of the pencils.

They’re around $7 for 10 pencils in the US or around £14.99 for 5 pencils in the UK (sadly a lot more expensive!).

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Eco-Friendly Scented Pencils – Smencils article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!

With how pervasive mobile phones are, it’s about time there was a phone that was completely green. The Motorola MOTO W233 Renew is a phone made from recycled plastic, made from 100% recyclable materials, comes with eco-friendly packaging, RoHS compliant, and comes with a postage-paid envelope so that you can send your old phone back for recycling.

The phone is a solid performer, despite not being as flashy as other mobile phones. The W233 is made from recycled watercooler jugs, and has been designed to be completely recyclable. The phone features Dual Band GSM 850/1900 capability, MP3 player, 9 hours talk time, 65K colours, up to 2 GB removable memory and measures 1.77″ x 4.37″ x 0.58″ in size.

Currently the phone is targeted at the US cellphone market on the T-Mobile network. I look forward to seeing it in the UK and Europe!

Source: Good Clean Tech

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Recycled Plastic Motorola MOTO W233 Renew article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Eco-friendly furniture is definitely a growth area, and something I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of. These paper and wood stools have been made by layering wood veneers with alternating coloured papers. The resulting effect is a colourful cross-section in the stool’s wood.

The eco bit is that 40% of these stools is made from recycled materials. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine variations of these stools, such as using newspaper in the construction, or perhaps increasing the recycled wood content without sacrificing structural stability. I’m sure these stools would fit nicely in any eco-friendly coffee-shop or home!

Source: iGreenSpot

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Recycled Paper and Wood Stool article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2010 EnviroGadget.com. You can follow EnviroGadget on Twitter here!