Recyclable Gadgets

Cell-phone options:
  • Sony Ericsson's W800i with camera and MP3 player is free of brominated flame retardants, lead and chromium that could come into contact with skin ($499, www.shopwireless.sonyericsson.com).
  • Earth Tones donates 100 percent of profits to environmental organizations including state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) and the Campaign to Save the Environment (www.earthtones.com, 888-327-8486).
  • Working Assets has generated more than $47 million for non profit organizations such as GreenPeace and the Rainforest Action Network (www.workingassets.com, 800-788-0898).

Cameras:

  • Kodak's one-time-use cameras, when taken to a participating photofinisher, are collected and sent back to Kodak as part of their One-Time-Use Camera Recycling program ($8.99 and up). Fujifilm's QuickSnap camera is also part of a recycling program, and nearly 82 percent of each collected camera is either reused or recycled ($5 and up).
  • MP3 players:
  • Creative Zen Micro's MP3 player, holds up to 3,000 songs and comes with a removable and rechargeable battery (starts at $179.00, www.creative.com).
  • Apple iPods come with rechargeable batteries (starts at $99, www.apple.com).
  • Dell DJs and Pocket DJs, which are smaller than a deck of cards, also do (starts at $199, www.dell.com).

Batteries and rechargers:

  • Sundance Solar sells rechargeable alkaline, nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-Mh) batteries ($7 for four mercury-free Pure Energy brand AAA rechargeable alkaline batteries, $15.95 for a Ravovac Ni-Mh 4-pack, www.sundancesolar.com).
  • Voltaic Pouch serves as a daypack with solar panels to charge cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players and cameras ($229, www.voltaicsystems.com).
  • Solar BatterySaver SE 2, sits on the dashboard and charges car batteries through the cigarette lighter ($30; www.batterystuff.com, 800-362-5397).
  • Brunton SolarPort 2.2 works for cell phones, PDAs and other small devices ($79). It can be bought with the Brunton BattPak, which charges up to 10 AA and AAA Ni-Mh or Ni-Cd batteries ($39, with Brunton SolarPort $110; www.southernce.com, 800-470-1477).

To recycle rechargeable batteries at the end of their life, see www.rbrc.org.
Dispose of non-recyclable batteries according to local solid-waste regulations.

Source:
The Green Guide


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