"Green Benefits of Long-Lasting and Rechargeable Batteries"

By Darrel R.
Green Office Store.com's Associate Content Editor
September 1, 2007

Demand for batteries in the United States has steadily been increasing for decades. With the continuing technological advances in consumer products and the increasing portability of battery operated equipment, this demand for batteries will continue. According to Battery Solutions, Inc. a battery recycling group in Michigan, there were over 3 billion industrial and household batteries sold in the United States alone in 1998. The problem is that despite the average consumer's increased awareness of recycling programs for plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and newspapers picked up curbside in most neighborhoods these days, the average consumer does not partake in a battery recycling program. By using long lasting and rechargeable batteries, one can diminish the environmental impact of used batteries by simply consuming and thereby discarding less.

Battery Metals

While the exact chemical composition of household batteries varies from type to type, most batteries contain heavy metals, which are the main cause for environmental concern. When disposed of incorrectly, these heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery casing corrodes.

Using Titanium and Rechargeable Batteries

The most environmentally sound option is to use rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. The reason is obvious: rechargeable batteries produce less waste for the environment because they can be reused. They also save energy, because the energy needed to manufacture a battery is on average fifty times greater than the energy it gives out. Energizer leads the industry with its rechargeable batteries. They are made with nickel metal hydride (NiMH) which is safer for the environment than nickel cadmium (NiCd) rechargeable batteries. Energizer's NiMH rechargeable batteries can be recharged as many as one thousand times. They are similar to traditional alkaline batteries, but the chemical reactions that occur inside a rechargeable battery are reversible, allowing them to be recharged again and again.

When rechargeable batteries are not an option, lithium and titanium batteries are an attractive alternative. Both provide longer lasting energy which again leads to less consumption and less disposal. Energizer's lithium battery weighs less, has a longer shelf life, and performs better in extreme temperatures than an ordinary alkaline battery due to its unique spirally wound construction. According to Energizer, lithium batteries take over six hundred digital photographs, while ordinary alkaline batteries take only ninety. They recommend using lithium batteries in digital cameras, CD players, and MP3 players. Lithium is also the lightest metal known, minimizing concerns of heavy metals in the environment.

Energizer e2 Batteries

Energizer's e2 titanium batteries are recommended for MP3 and portable CD players, hand-held video games, digital and photo flash cameras. They are also recommended for critical household devices such as smoke detectors and flashlights. Energizer claims they should be used in any high tech devices that typically drain a lot of energy. Their titanium compound and unique cell construction increase energy's conductivity and allow electrons to flow better.

Through innovative products such as Energizer's rechargeable, lithium, and e2 titanium batteries, battery manufacturers are contributing to important efforts to conserve our natural resources and protect the environment for generations to come.