Awesome Green Gadgets

Starting this week, I will be searching for the best Eco-friendly gadgets and post about a couple of them per week. I will also be searching for more news articles about green living and new products/services that can minimize the strain on the environment. So lets start with this weeks green gadgets.


Image courtesy of USBcell

First off this looks like an amazing product and I'm surprised that it wasn't invented earlier. There are many things that can be powered by the usb port from your computer, but these are the first batteries that I know of that can be charged by your laptop. They cost about $20 for a two pack, but they are rechargeable. At the moment it looks like they only have AA batteries at the moment, but are working on AAA, C, D, 9 volt, and even cell phones and just about any other portable device. Go here to buy them. They even give you a ton of uses for your usbcell batteries. I'm sure other companies will try and make some of these soon, so be on the look out as this company seems to be based of Great Britain.


Image courtesy of Brunton

Solar powered anything is generally a good thing. Sun is pretty much everywhere and is renewable so why not have lots of things solar powered? Well, the technology is still expensive and it is generally inconceivable for the average American to have a large solar panel on their roof. But, smaller gadgets have been receiving the solar technology and here is one of them. It's called SolarRolls. They are waterproof and flexible. It rolls up to store in a storage tube. Depending on the size of the roll you get, it can weigh up to 17 oz. They are a little expensive but can power just about anything and are great for camping.

Graph Of Energy Consumption And Tips To Reduce It

Image courtesy of Kids Energy Page @ DOE.gov

This graph shows how the average American uses energy in their homes. Heating our houses is almost half of all energy consumed in American households. Here are some tips to reduce your heating costs.

• Buy a programmable thermostat to make sure your heat is only one when you want it to be. Here is a guide from the governments energy star website about programmable thermostats. You also might want to check out this consumer guide from the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy division of the Department of Energy.
  


• Use other ways of keeping yourself warm like blankets, socks, slippers, long johns, pants, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, and even a pet. All of these most people already have and can wear multiples of.
  


• Fire places and wood stoves can be a great source of heat, but very expensive to install. If you have one already, chords of wood are not very expensive and can usually last all winter. Or if you have a friend with land, ask to chop down some trees and cut them up during the summer to let them dry out for the winter. If you don't have either, maybe invest in a wood stove. The ones I've seen online are close to $2000, so check around your local stores to see if there is anything cheaper.