Use Rechargeable Batteries

 This is part of my series: 20 Ways to Go Green that Make a Difference. This series discusses practical ways we can go green in our lives, that will have a measurable effect on the environment.  This is an alternative to the many lists that offer 100+ suggestions, many of which are not easily applied to our lives or the impact is minimal.

Batteries can be a cause of extraordinary environmental damage if disposed of incorrectly.  They can leak corrosive acids into the earth and poision it for years to come.  First of all, dispose of all electronics in a responsible manner, do not simply dump them in the trash and hope for the best.  This type of laziness will be the cause of terrible consequences in the years to come.

Rechargeable batteries are a great way to go green that will save money and help the environment.  For a small initial investment, you can re-use your batteries many times.  Batteries are already pretty expensive, and rechargeables do not have a huge premium.  A small price to pay for preventing potentially destructive waste from old forgotten batteries thrown into landfills!

Cameras, remote controllers, old toys, xbox control sticks, flashlights and other appliances can all use rechargeable batteries, and many times a universal charging station can be head to simultaneously charge these different formats.  Check a local hardware store, support local businesses!  Make sure to fully charge batteries, as partial charges are known to negatively affect battery life.

As always, turn off appliances when not in use.  Even though you are recharging the batteries, we always want to conserve all energy when possible!