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Step 5Going Green
If you have any devices that use a lot of power (like cameras) and the batteries are standard types (like AA and AAA), save them when they stop working and reuse them for devices that do not require as much power (TV remotes, wireless mice) so that residual power is not wasted. This power isn't used because since it requires a lot of power each time, at the very end of the battery, there is quite a bit of power left, but not enough for the device to use. That is when you can use them for other devices that do not require as much power, and can make use of that residual power.
After the battery has been drained as much as you can drain it, recycle it. They probably have these collection bins at your community center, as they have them in my library. You don't even have to take them here often. Save them up in a bin and then dump them there when you get the chance. You can find these containers in very odd places.
Addition:
The best option probably is to use rechargeable batteries. Buying these batteries may provide a more expensive up front cost, but after a few recharges and uses, you can save a lot of money. Buying batteries with more mAh will make the electronics last longer. Depending on how much current is drawn, you can calculate how long it lasts.
Rechargeable non-alkaline batteries (such as NiMH {nickel-metal-hydride}) are not only the obvious choice for economical and ecological reasons, but actually are better for your electronics. NiMH batteries hold voltage nearly constant as the battery discharges, then relatively suddenly, loses almost all power, where alkalines just go downhill from the start. As the voltage drops, your (e.g. digital camera)'s electronics have to work harder just to produce the same output, increasing wear and tear, until there is simply not enough power available to perform. Alkaline batteries run out like momentum on flat ground, the non-alkaline rechargeable runs out like a gas tank.
Alkaline rechargeables are a ridiculous attempt by the battery industry to salvage use of their alkaline production and get a hold of the rechargeable market. Don't buy them, because all alkaline batteries work on the chemical destruction of another element, usually copper and zinc.
Buy the REAL rechargeables for the highest Ah or mAh you can find (amp-hours= will last one hour with a load of one amp...2500mAh will last 2.5 hours on a one-amp load, or one hour on a 2.5 amp load....go look it up) and a charger. The money you spend to get started will pay for itself more than 250-fold if the batteries are properly maintained and used.
Would you buy, or even consider buying disposable car batteries? Cell-phone batteries? iPod batteries? No, that'd be ridiculous, because you'd be changing the battery at least twice a week...seems silly when you can just recharge them...so why are you buying disposable batteries for everything else? Convenience? Convenience is not having to go to the store to buy new batteries in the first place, when you can just take the ones from the charger....
You spend $80 a year on disposable batteries every year. I spent $35 for all the equivalent number of rechargable batteries and a charger 5 years ago, and haven't bought nor thrown a battery away since. You do the math.
Consider the batteries you throw away every year, and then multiply that by 7.6 million. Now you see how much money that wastes, and how much landfill that is, I hope.
Credits go to Prometheus for this information. Thanks Again!
After the battery has been drained as much as you can drain it, recycle it. They probably have these collection bins at your community center, as they have them in my library. You don't even have to take them here often. Save them up in a bin and then dump them there when you get the chance. You can find these containers in very odd places.
Addition:
The best option probably is to use rechargeable batteries. Buying these batteries may provide a more expensive up front cost, but after a few recharges and uses, you can save a lot of money. Buying batteries with more mAh will make the electronics last longer. Depending on how much current is drawn, you can calculate how long it lasts.
Rechargeable non-alkaline batteries (such as NiMH {nickel-metal-hydride}) are not only the obvious choice for economical and ecological reasons, but actually are better for your electronics. NiMH batteries hold voltage nearly constant as the battery discharges, then relatively suddenly, loses almost all power, where alkalines just go downhill from the start. As the voltage drops, your (e.g. digital camera)'s electronics have to work harder just to produce the same output, increasing wear and tear, until there is simply not enough power available to perform. Alkaline batteries run out like momentum on flat ground, the non-alkaline rechargeable runs out like a gas tank.
Alkaline rechargeables are a ridiculous attempt by the battery industry to salvage use of their alkaline production and get a hold of the rechargeable market. Don't buy them, because all alkaline batteries work on the chemical destruction of another element, usually copper and zinc.
Buy the REAL rechargeables for the highest Ah or mAh you can find (amp-hours= will last one hour with a load of one amp...2500mAh will last 2.5 hours on a one-amp load, or one hour on a 2.5 amp load....go look it up) and a charger. The money you spend to get started will pay for itself more than 250-fold if the batteries are properly maintained and used.
Would you buy, or even consider buying disposable car batteries? Cell-phone batteries? iPod batteries? No, that'd be ridiculous, because you'd be changing the battery at least twice a week...seems silly when you can just recharge them...so why are you buying disposable batteries for everything else? Convenience? Convenience is not having to go to the store to buy new batteries in the first place, when you can just take the ones from the charger....
You spend $80 a year on disposable batteries every year. I spent $35 for all the equivalent number of rechargable batteries and a charger 5 years ago, and haven't bought nor thrown a battery away since. You do the math.
Consider the batteries you throw away every year, and then multiply that by 7.6 million. Now you see how much money that wastes, and how much landfill that is, I hope.
Credits go to Prometheus for this information. Thanks Again!
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7
Aug 19, 2008. 9:51 PM
jphphotography
says:
jphphotography
says:
It should be noted to be careful when tossing batteries in a bulk bin like this, for axial style (ie cylinder with two ends) this should be okay because the ends will most likely not be shorted together. However for 9V batteries or lantern batteries it may be a good idea to put some tape or something over the terminals so that they can't short out. Even if a battery is low there is a chance of fire if you short the terminals together. All in all a pretty good tutorial, I already do most of this stuff already but I hadn't thought of emptying the cd tray on my laptop if its not in use.
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5
Aug 20, 2008. 5:24 AMLemonSlice (author)
says:
That is a good point for the 9V and lantern batteries. You should use some kind of cover for it or at least put in some bag.
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Feb 8, 2009. 2:03 PMtommylovesjamie
says:
It is a pretty good point. What I like about the lantern batteries is that they usually come with covers over the leads anyway, so you could just save those and tape them down when you recycle them.
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Aug 20, 2008. 3:01 PMTuraco
says:
Great tutorial. You're only thirteen? Keep up the good work. Great idea about using the residual power in batteries for low power consuming electronics. That was one I hadn't though of before. Thanks.
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5
Aug 20, 2008. 4:26 PMLemonSlice (author)
says:
Thanks for the comment. I actually thought of that idea because, for my science fair, I couldn't find any batteries to use, and I dug up a few old ones in my room and I tried those in my camera. At first, they didn't work in my old digital camera (AA batteries) so I thought they were dead. I put them in this container, originally intended for the recycling bins. I accidentally used some of those batteries for my project and they worked (just to run some LEDs). After the fair, I realized they were the old used ones. That's why I added that little bit to this section, because it is a good way to make use of the little power.
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