Green Gadget Ideas

It's tough for a lot of us to resist the newest MP3 player or cell phone when we're browsing the technology aisle. However, many of these gizmos have short life spans and contain hazardous materials, like neurotoxic lead and mercury or nasty polyvinyl chloride (PVC), whose manufacture adds carcinogenic dioxins to the environment. On March 3, 2005, Senators Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) and Jim Talent (R., Mo.) introduced legislation (S. 510) to the U.S. Congress that if enacted will make electronic waste recycling more convenient and cost-effective. Until then, however, tech gadgets will keep overflowing our landfills and emitting toxins into our air--unless we make smarter choices.

For instance, Staples and CollectiveGood recently launched a cell-phone recycling program and Apple started one for iPods. Also look for removable, rechargeable batteries and recyclable products made of less-toxic materials. The "greener" products below are a step ahead of the rest.

Product Picks

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). To date, 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). Whether you choose the shuffle, the nano or the standard, Apple iPods come with rechargeable batteries (starts at $99, www.apple.com). So do Dell DJs and Pocket DJs, which are smaller than a deck of cards (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.