made this for you | the future isn’t what it used to be

We have been trying alternate renewable battery sources lately. I had used standard rechargeable batteries from Radio Shack since I was a kid. But over the past few years, I have been looking for items that would last longer and not end up in a landfill.

We purchased USB Batteries last year for the concept alone. They don’t work that great. They literally last only days in a mouse or wiimote. The upside is that are easily chargeable on the fly. So, I usually carry them in my laptop bag for emergencies. The ones we got are from Kikkerland Design (who do great product design btw).

I can’t find any info about the batteries on their site, so maybe it was discontinued. I would be interested to try other USB battery brands (for example USBCELL), if anyone is interested in mailing us some. But, I am not sure if we will purchase anymore without some better battery life.

When MTFY was at Greener Gadgets a while back we were given a sample pack of Fuji Eniviromax batteries. They are not USB or rechargeable. But, they can be thrown out with regular trash. Non-toxic batteries is a nice change for a bit. Fuji explains:

The materials that make up a Fuji EnviroMAX battery are derived from the basic elements of the Earth. There is nothing inside a Fuji EnviroMAX battery that will harm the environment if it is disposed of through normal waste systems. …Fuji EnviroMAX batteries contain no harmful mercury, cadmium – nor are they packaged with dangerous (and non-recyclable) PVC plastic.

Fuji goes on to talk about how the factory itself is environmentally friendly. They say the manufacturing process does not release any ozone depleting compounds- so that is a plus. The packaging is seen below.

Though we all would love to say that every battery in our entire home is rechargeable and environmentally friendly, that is not the way we live. There are numerous devices/gadgets throughout the MTFY space that need immediate  power. We have a recycle container of batteries that we take to IKEA every few months. But I know most work places just toss them. I do feel better knowing that at the very least, that if my batteries aren’t cradle to cradle, they are at least biodegradable.

Fuji says that are battery are more powerful then traditional batteries, do better in extreme climates, and have a long shelf life. They also state that they use “Reverse Current Protection”.

Reverse Current Protection- A device which senses when there is a reversal in the normal direction of current in an electric power system, indicating an abnormal condition of the system, and which initiates appropriate action to prevent damage to the system. — via Answers.com

We decided to test the sample pack we were given. Heidi has been using the Enviromax AAA batteries in her mouse for a while now, and they are working great. 4 weeks of 9-11 hour a day use- not bad. I am going to order some AA for my Xbox 360 controller- update soon. As far as the biodegradable factor, that will take a little more time to assess. I wonder if we should throw some in our worm composter. Thoughts anyone?

Fuji says they have no plans to develop rechargeable batteries in this range. Instead, you will have to make due with disposing of these batteries as you go.

The average person in North America throws out about eight household batteries per year. About three billion batteries are sold annually in the U.S. averaging about ten per person. Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when batteries are improperly disposed of. When incinerated, certain metals might be released into the air or can concentrate in the ash created by the combustion process. Batteries produce many potential problems or hazards. They pollute lakes and the water supply and contribute to heavy metals that potentially may seep from landfills. They also contain strong corrosive acids, which are an environmental, and health hazard. —via nexplanrecycling.com

Cadmium also leaks into the air when burned, which in turn creates more toxic waste. So that said, using Fuji Enviromax batteries is a great start.

Take Away
The best option for a battery, would be a biodegradable rechargeable battery. The very best option would be to not need one at all. For example getting more products that use solar or kinetic energy.