I absolutely hate it when I’m on vacation, taking pictures, and my camera starts to beep at me that I’m running out of batteries. I always mean to carry extras with me, but somehow between packing the rest of my crazy electronics (cell phone, laptop, ipod), and my clothes, I never remember. Well today I stumbled upon something that can help me keep my camera clicking and at the same time reduce the waste created from throwing away used batteries.
They’re called USBcell and the concept is absolutely brilliant. Essentially they’re just batteries you flip the top of (similarly to a Zippo lighter) and plug into a USB port to recharge. That’s it. Simple but exceptional, like sliced bread. Knowing how many batteries I go through in remotes, cameras, and other personal electronics, utilizing these widely in my personal life would reduce my hazardous waste considerably. And considering the particularly potent chemicals at work in conventional batteries, changing over to rechargeable batteries has a particularly high eco-help ratio. More on the problem with throwing out batteries here.
Currently USBcell makes batteries in AA, AAA, and 9v models, and have a series of cell phone batteries with new models being released regularly. They also have a series of “fashion batteries” in development, but I’m totally unclear on their purpose, as I’ve never needed a pink battery before, and don’t expect to in the near future. The batteries last about as long as regular batteries, and can plug into virtually any powered USB port you encounter, though how much power it is pulling determines the length of time it will take the battery to charge.
The USB plug feature makes them especially attractive for travel, as I’m frequently out of range of an outlet, but rarely out of range of my laptop. It also simplifies international travel, as I only need to have one adapter for my computer, and can forget packing one for a battery charger.
The only downside to these batteries is that I know nothing about their manufacturing process and whether that has a higher impact upon the environment than regular battery manufacturing. The company website indicates that because the batteries are NiMH versus NiCad, they are safer, but that doesn’t take the manufacturing into account. Also, while they indicate that the backing of the packaging is recyclable, they’re still using less-than-eco-friendly plastic for the cover.
Overall the concept is so good it overcomes most shortcomings, with the proviso that there is no way to make batteries “good” for the environment, just less bad. And because the USBcell batteries are recyclable (as are most batteries), there is the potential that they can have even less impact over time. All in all, while these will not single handedly change the nature of my world, they do hold the capactity to both help me with a technology issue, as well as assist me in offsetting my negative impact on the environment, both marks of good eco-technology.
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