Many of us will no doubt look at the various appliances we use on such a frequent basis and find some amusement from the idea that our laptops and gaming consoles could be the cause of such damage to our environment. After all, they produce no harmful emissions; no dangerous by products or chemicals…so really, what is the big deal? Is it just some sort of conspiracy by the eco-fascist brigade to spoil our fun, and derail the progress of legitimate free market economics? No. Irrespective of whether you power your appliances by means of a portable battery supply or from the mains power supply, the simple truth is that you are inflicting further harm upon the environment.

Electrical batteries and other traditional forms of power supplies for most electronic and electrical appliances have provided the powers that be with a considerable headache when it has came to the logistics of successfully disposing of them. Many politicians have opted to bury their heads in the sand along with the tonnes and tonnes of the junk by relying on that tried and tested method of landfill sites. The downside with this approach is that the electrical batteries cannot be broken down by natural means, requiring some synthetic input be it a chemical solution or an energy based reaction. What this means then is that we have mountains of these items that cannot be safely disposed of, safe for time….and the clock is continually ticking against us.

Thankfully, research has finally came to fruition and borne a remarkable new product: the solar powered battery charger. What makes this item so ideal for the current dilemma is that it is rechargeable meaning that the consumer can use the item in question for much longer periods of time which in turn reduces the need for manufacturing the chargers in the first place. This single fact in of itself means that the pollution and toxins which are an unhappy by product of the process can finally be put to rest.

To learn more about how Solar Powered Battery Chargers could not only save you money but also give you complete freedom from mains power then please visit my Solar Energy Blog.

It is no longer just the baby boomer who remembers that the environment is still in desperate need of saving who will be willing to possibly spend a bit extra on the purchase of solar powered gadgets. Given the current political climate, other eager buyers for this gadgetry are going to be patriotic Americans who refuse to support regimes that might provide the United States with oil and other resources, but that will turn around and take the money in an effort to bring down this country.

Patriotism and solar power may soon go hand in hand, just like hybrid cars and savvy automotive consumerism are now being equated. It is true that at this stage of the technological development the cost is still somewhat unaffordable for the majority of anticipated consumers to bear, yet in a few short years this is bound to be subject to change and before long the cost of solar powered gadgets will come down to such an extent that they are so affordable as to inspire the majority of consumers to revamp their homes’ energy receptacles.

Although Mother Earth is most likely the most commonly cited reason for the perceived future need of solar powered chargers, it is much more likely that solar power is not only a clean alternative to fossil fuels but also a much more cost effective way of heating and cooling. With the rising costs of energy across the country, the race is on to find a new avenue of powering everyday life that is not only sustainable but also affordable.

So – should you convert to solar powered charges or should you wait for the exploration of other energy sources? This is a hard question to answer but by and large the general consensus seems to be that those who can afford it should go ahead and convert to solar powered chargers now, even if in the future a different form of energy will become the main avenue of powering life. After all, the little you can do today not only benefits you in the short run, but also the planet in the long run. With this attitude, everyone wins.

Heres a few of the innovative solar gadgets available on the market today and some examples of specific solar powered products to consider.

What about gadgets with built-in batteries? When it comes to charging your phone or iPod, the sun has been left you cold.

One innovative product, HYmini, is a universal power charger that uses wind and solar energy to top up most gadgets, and it comes with mini solar panels and extra batteries. Twenty minutes of wind power will provide 30 minutes of iPod time.

Solar Flashlights –
Hand-held solar flashlights operate for nearly three hours when fully charged, and can be mounted on a bicycle for nighttime rides. Some of the features for this cool gadget are AM FM reception — AM range: 525-1650 KHz, FM range: 88-108 MHz; Built-in dynamo generator with manual winding lever, Built-in flashlight (with clear, amber and red lenses); Hi-fi speaker and 3.5mm earphone jack.

A solar powered flashlight that can also charge your cell phone, MP3 player, or PDA is on useful and versatile solar powered gadget. The ultra-bright LED flashlight (65,000MCD) uses mono-crystalline silicon solar panels for power generation and recharging the built-in 700mAh/3.6v NI-MH battery.

Solar Tents –
Yes, it is a tent that comes with it’s own solar panel and integrated, interior LED lights. You can also use the solar panels independently to charge batteries. It’s approximately 4-6 hours of direct light to yield 2-4 hours tent light. The 7″ (18 cm) solar panel is placed on the top of the tent’s hub and clicked into place. The fly is then placed on top of solar panel & tent, and sun will charge the panel through the clear PVC window at the top of the fly. The tent comes in as 4-person and a 6-person versions.

Solar Lighters –
This great solar fire starter is perfect for backpacking, boating, hiking and as a solar survival tool.

Solar Tombstones –
Vidstone developed the solar powered Serenity Panel, ‘Utilizing ground-breaking solar-powered technology, this weather-proof LCD panel provides families and friends with a timeless way to commemorate a life that’s passed at one’s final resting place.” It adds about two grand to the price of a conventional tombstone and has a waterproof 7″ screen. Four hours of sunlight will play a ten minute video six times. Michael at Groovy Green notes that ‘There’s even a head-phone jack to limit your groove from beyond the grave to inquiring ears only.”

Solar Lighted Mailboxes –
Solar panels gathers the sun’s energy and charge the battery pack. At night, address panels automatically light up at dusk and go off at dawn.

Solar Powered Headset –
A solar-powered headset is a solar gadget perfectly suited for the environmentally-conscious outdoorsman who loves music. This headset is great for daytime jogging, or working in the yard.

Solar Radio –
You will be able to listen your favorite radio shows and if you need to see better in the dark the flashlight is included.

Solar Watches –
Swiss-made LeJour solar watches ($99.95), which run on either sunlight or ambient lighting, work for a month in total darkness.

Solar Backpacks and Bags -
Solar bags are some of the coolest green products out there, and they make a great gift, too! Compare and choose which one best meets your needs and your taste. The name says it all, the Voltaic Backpack Solar Powered Backpack is a daypack that host several small solar panels on the back of the bag.

The idea is that the Voltaic Backpack Solar Powered Backpack can charge your small electronics such as MP3 players, cameras, etc as you travel. You can also switch the sun jar completely off to save power. Keeping the lantern in bright sunlight for 8 hours you will supply it with power for 3 hours. If you need it fully charged then you should keep it in the sunlight for 30 hours.

Solar Power Chargers and Battery Packs –
Solar battery chargers bring a pair of nickel-cadmium batteries to life in less than seven hours. It’s not clear how long the panels need to soak in the sun’s rays, but Velleman claims this power brick’s good enough to charge laptops, electric hand tools, GPS systems and–we kid you not–caravans, yachts, and DC refrigerators.

The Solio will charge from 4 volt to 12 volt devices by doubling or tripling the power output using the adapters. There are four contacts in the adapter tip system cable and to get up to the higher 12 volts it just uses three of these outputs at 3.6 volts to get the 10.8 volts for these higher voltage charges.

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