Enter the Solar Cell Phone

I’ve covered some pretty interesting green gadgets here in the past, but there are is one type of gadget that I have yet to even talk about. The solar cell phone.

There are a lot of different ways that a cell phone can be environmentally friendly. It can be made out of recycled materials. It can be made out of a corn-based resin. It can use a significantly lower amount of electricity than other phones in its price range. Or, as in the case of the two phones on this list, it can have a solar panel on it. Go figure.

The LG GD510

This thing is a beast. It’s a touch screen smart phone with an integral solar panel that completely charges the phone in very little time at all. It’s not just a “bare bones” model, either. It sports a 3MP camera and has a super-fast processor so you can stream music and movies very quickly. The body is very sturdy. It’s made out of aluminum, so it’s a light and sturdy frame. In fact, it only weighs 87 grams fully loaded with the battery. It’s also an extremely stylish phone. It has a really futuristic look to it that won’t leave you feeling like that green weirdo with the poofy phone. The solar panel is optional, so keep that in mind when you’re buying.

The Sharp Solar Hybrid

This is a flip phone that doesn’t have the same functionality as the LG phone above, but it is way more durable. It’s constructed to take some real punishment, and the solar panel on the front of the phone is highly functional. This is the phone to get if you see yourself hitting the backcountry for a few days and need a phone for emergencies or to call for a ride when you get back to the trailhead.

jareds | My Bio & Articles

Jared Skye is an environmental scientist and author of sustainability and self-sufficiency themed media.