The Advantages of Eco-Friendly Chargers: Charging Technologies Articles: Eco20/20

The Advantages of Eco-Friendly Chargers

We have, thankfully, moved far past the days of the disposable battery. Those nasty things that, when dead, were likely to end up in the landfill, which then lead to hazardous materials from the battery being leeched into the soil and contaminating the surrounding area.

While there is still a lot that can be done, we have come a long way in battery technology that not only takes waste into account, but that are also starting to take environmental responsibility into account as well. As time has progressed, charger technology has become more varied, complex, and efficient. And this is excellent news to any consumer who wants to be a steward to the environment, but also still wants/needs to be able to use modern technology. These technologies are also becoming more affordable as more alternatives hit the marketplace. This means that now, the average consumer can afford to purchase these technologies, and get a powerful, affordable charger without breaking the bank.

One of the first products in the burgeoning line of eco-friendly chargers was the rechargeable battery. Not only did it allow us to use our batteries multiple times, thus saving us in the long run in the cost of replacement batteries, but it got the idea of using something again and again to the forefront of the average consumers mind. This also, in congruence with updated battery disposal techniques, has kept many more toxic batteries out of the waste stream. While this is, in no way, the most advanced, nor the most efficient method available now, it did introduce the concept to the general public and paved the way for all that has come since.

Now the market is burgeoning with options and they all have their share of positive advantages.

"Smart charger" technology is available for a good number of devices, from traditional batteries to cell phones, to a wide range of other portable devices. The advantage of the smart charger is that, as opposed to standard chargers which charge for a set period of time, smart chargers sense the voltage in your battery and only charge for as long as necessary to fill your battery. This means that you are not wasting energy by continuing to charge an already full battery, and this also improves the life of the battery, as repeated under- or over-charging can actually damage your device.

Solar powered chargers are available on the market for a huge variety of electronics. Perhaps the biggest advantage of using a solar powered charger is that you can charge you devices anytime, anywhere, assuming the sun is shining. As opposed to smart chargers, which use less electric energy, solar chargers use no electric energy! These chargers are becoming more and more efficient, allowing you to charge your devices in much less time than in years past.

There are also a variety of human powered chargers, such as hand crank or even bike powered chargers. These also have the advantage that they do not rely on the electrical grid to generate their energy - they rely on you! The hand crank chargers can be used anywhere and charge a great number of devices. And both of these options require personal involvement in the process of providing energy for the things that make your world go 'round.

There are so many advantages to using eco-friendly chargers that they are sure to be the wave of the future. From improving our use of the planet's resources, to making us more responsible stewards to the planet, these efforts make a small, but cumulatively very big, difference.