The average person goes through a phone every year. Some people go through as many as three phones a year, and they’re always buying the newest and most “up to date” phone whenever it comes out. On the other hand, some people keep the same phone for years at a time because a phone is just that to them– a phone. Throughout the consumer electronics industry, there is a trend toward just tossing out old tech for the new tech that is just a month or two away.

The Samsung Reclaim, however, is made out of recycled materials through and through. Its casing is “reclaimed” from old recycled plastic, and the components are partially recycled from older phones and electronics. One of the other really great aspects of this phone is that it is made without PVC or other harmful materials that can leach out into your skin when it sweats. These things have been linked to cancer and other illnesses, so the Reclaim has taken them out of the equation entirely. The Reclaim instead opts for using less harmful materials, and reduces its imprint on the world by significantly reducing the amount of materials it uses in total.

In a world of throwaway technology, it’s nice that there’s something out there for the rest of us. If you’re not a smartphone addict, and you just need a great phone that is loaded with features and easy to use, the Samsung Reclaim is made almost entirely with you in mind. It’s worth noting that Samsung has recently overtaken every major cell phone manufacturer in the United States and Canada in terms of sales, so they’re obviously pretty keen at giving people what they want.

Then I started thinking about personal solar panels. Right now, it may not be the best time of year to talk about these things. After all, the sun isn’t really a big part of anyone’s life during the winter. However, those sunny days will rear their heads once more in a few months, and then these solar panels will be a great investment to have around.

I didn’t really know how great of an investment they were until I started looking into them a bit more. I was expecting them to cost about four times as much as they really do, which is a funny little indication of just how far the technology has come over the years. Five years ago, a little charger to charge your phone would have run you around $200 bucks. Now, it’ll run you about $50. It’s crazy how times change!

So I ordered one for myself. I decided to go with the Kiwi U-Powered Portable Power Source. I’m just planning on using it to charge my phone, but I think it’s pretty cool to possibly use it as my sole source of power to charge my phone once the sun comes back. I’ll let you know how everything turned out once I finally get to use it, so stay tuned for any updates. This is just another great example of the ways that we can all rescue ourselves from the technological slavery that oil is putting us into. If this one works out, I’m definitely going to be thinking more about solar in the future for my other projects.

The creator, Matthew Newman, details his invention:

“Each year I would go and visit family in South Africa and when arriving back I would always have the fear that our house had burnt down through an electrical fault. This fear was elevated when we moved to a new town and bought a house in need of serious renovation. So one year after we had arrived back I decided to fit a smoke alarm. Whilst fitting it I had my eureka moment. I realized that this still wouldn’t ease my fears. As the house had concrete ceilings I couldn’t get an electrical cable to the smoke alarm which then lead me to look for a battery powered smoke alarm with SMS capability.”

“I would have preferred a hard wired photoelectric smoke detector instead of a battery powered ionizing one; they are a little less sensitive and do not have radioactive isotopes in them. Also, people tend to let the batteries run down; it would be nice if it sent you a text message when it was time to replace them. However it is loaded with a lithium battery that will last two to four years in average use, and most people, like Matthew, do not have convenient wiring.”

gizmag

Photo by Patrick Gillooly via MIT News

“The sheet of paper looks like any other document that might have just come spitting out of an office printer, with an array of colored rectangles printed over much of its surface. But then a researcher picks it up, clips a couple of wires to one end, and shines a light on the paper. Instantly an LCD clock display at the other end of the wires starts to display the time,” reports MIT news.

If a technology like this made its way into homes, it could dramatically change the average person’s access to alternative energy sources. The paper solar cells can even be folded without breaking the cells. The new technology uses vapors instead of liquids to print onto the material. The printer operates at a cooler temperature than conventional printers and the printing actually takes place in a vacuum chamber.

One of the most unique proposed applications for this new solar cell technology is in the fashion world. Cells could potentially be printed on fabric and incorporated into clothing and accessories. It is already popular to add solar cells onto bags and backpacks, but now those still solar cells could be replaced with even lighter and more flexible versions. The potential for these new printable cells is limited only by the imagination.

TreeHugger

The polycarbonate-bound laptop is light-as-air, and includes two photovoltaic panels that span the computer’s cover and keyboard. This sleek design allows sunlight to shine straight through the case to the panels embedded within, generating electricity for on-the-go computing. The Luce, which means light in Italian, weighs about four pounds.

While there are still some issues to be worked out with the laptop, such as how battery intensive using the laptop would be outdoors, or the need for the brightness on the screen to be cranked up to compete with the sun’s bright light, it’d be nice to see a manufacturer take on this design and make it available to the public.

The laptop includes a battery to make up for the device’s plummeting productivity in the evening.

The Luce was shortlisted in Fujitsu’s 2011 design competition; however, there is no word on whether the company plans to turn the design into reality. Apple has also filed a patent for “harnessing external light to illuminate a display screen.”

TechCrunch

The energy saving light bulb is a neglected, yet inspiring invention. It uses 80% less energy than the traditional incandescent light bulb, while also keeping down electricity bills. Furthermore, the bulb lasts around 8 times longer than it’s incandescent counterpart.

Plumen believes that if you make the light bulb attractive, people will spend a bit more money on it and enjoy a better quality of light and a design they will appreciate every day. The use of various shaped bulbs and lighting options mean that each person can buy the bulb that best fits their design aesthetic, and in turn the bulb creates a new niche market for a necessity that has been long over-looked.

The name comes from ‘plume’—a bird’s show feather, designed to attract attention to a bird’s prowess and beauty. Plumen believes their designs do the same for the energy saving light bulb.

After much success in the UK and throughout Europe, Plumen has made some tweaks to the bulb in order to create the 110V version for the American market. The Plumen bulb will be hitting the shelves in the US this June.

The 110 V bulbs will cost nearly $30.

Source: Plumen

The flexible neck can be angled and bent in any direction to meet your lighting needs. The bright LED bulb ensures long lasting bright white and energy efficient illumination. The lamp is available in green, gray, and red.

The best part of the lamp, however, is its base. The Dino’s neck comes out of a felt-lined cup-sized container, which can store everything from pens and pencils, to greenery. By using the power of Dino’s LED lamp, you can grow your own mini eco-system. Small ferns or cacti can turn the Dino into a living lamp—just don’t forget to use a watertight planter.

Inhabitat

Nonetheless, the solar stairway light serves as an eco-friendly lighting option that is great for use in and around your patio. The solar panels of these lights are much larger than the typical solar lights, allowing them to store up more energy for a given period of sunlight. The solar energy is stored in an integrated battery and a fully charged battery will power the light for up to 10 hours.

“The elegant light is constructed from a sturdy weather resistant brushed stainless steel, allowing it to be left in position all year round. The light uses 4 LEDs to provide a bright focused light that provides you with a 46 cm (18 in) cone of illumination. Multiple lights can be purchased to light up either a large set of stairs or separate hazardous areas in your outdoor space.”

The Solar Stairway Light has an inbuilt light sensor so that it will turn on and off with the sunrise and sunset. Thanks to the solar panels, no wiring is necessary. Just place the light in a sunny place and it will function happily.

EnviroGadget

According to Scott Hunter, the leader of the development team from ORNL, this converter has the potential to dramatically decrease the energy waste produced within the country. “In the United States, more than 50 percent of the energy generated annually from all sources is lost as waste heat,” claims Hunter. “So this actually presents us with a great opportunity to save industry money through increased process efficiencies and reduced fuel costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

The converters measure about 1 millimeter square in size—about 1,000 of them can be attached to a 1-inch square surface as a computer chip or concentrated photovoltaic cell. The amount of electricity each device generates is small – 1 to 10 milliwatts per device—however, by putting a lot of these converters together, large amounts of electricity can be generated to power remote sensor systems or assist in the active cooling of the heat generating device, reducing cooling demands on the system.

ORNL

Based on Lighting Science Group‘s A19 LED light, this LED bulb includes a built-in radio that interacts with Google’s open-source wireless protocol. The protocol has already been incorporated to control some simple home appliances and thermostats and developers see this as the start of a new generation of smart appliances. Electric lighting generally accounts for about 10% of a home’s energy demand and smarter lighting represents an easy way to cut down on energy waste. While the wireless control capabilities of Google’s LED bulb may be a little unnecessary, the trend toward energy efficient homes is a necessary shift.

Lighting Science Group Via GigaOm