As a mom who’s trying to be mindful of the environment, I often think about the toys we purchase for my son. Safey is always a consideration, however, I also think about the educational value of the toy, it’s age appropriateness, and whether or not it’s going to require batteries. When I was pregnant with my son, I had a lot of aspirations about how I was going to “do things.” One of the things I wanted to do was to only purchase open-ended toys (which often don’t require batteries). I felt like this would be best for his learning and best for the environment. And then we went to Toys R Us!
If you’ve ever walked into the store, it can be a bit overwhelming for both parents and children. I think parents need to go in there with a mission…a focus! Otherwise we get distracted by the “noise.” After about the first year of my son’s life, I “gave in” to the “no battery operated toy rule” I had set in my mind. It’s not because I don’t think families can do it because it’s feasible. However, there are many educational toys (Vtech and Leap Frog are brands that readily come to mind) that my son enjoys and learns from, and they require the use of batteries. We have slowly started incorporating carefully selected battery-operated toys in our home. Now the challenge becomes how to deal with the number of batteries we go through.
We use batteries for so many things in our home. Just sitting here thinking about everything that requires a battery gets me dizzy. Our remote controls, flashlights, the swing that allowed me to shower when my son was born… Batteries are an important part of our daily lives. And instead of figuring out how to get rid of them completely, I think it’s wise to use them in the “greenest” way possible.
I recently had an opportunity to test out the Energizer Family Charger. I think rechargeable batteries make the most economic and environmentally-conscious sense (apart from not using them at all). I like the charger because it can charge and recharge a variety of different types of batteries. It can also charge several batteries at one time (8 AA, 8 AAA, 4C, 4D, or 2 9V NiMH). Once you place the batteries inside and close the lid, the batteries will start charging and an LCD screen on the front displays the charging status so you know when they’re ready. The batteries do need to be charged before used initially but can last up to 6 months once they’re charged. They can also be charged hundreds of times, which I find impressive. You don’t have to fully drain the battery before charging it (something my husband claims to be fact!) and doing so won’t render them less effective. The Family Charger is also Energy Star certified.
The Family Charger is a great way to get the most use out of batteries and I believe it will save you a ton of money on batteries! It doesn’t take long for the batteries to charge and they actually last a decent amount of time. The unit retails for approximately $50.00 but I found it on Amazon.com for $26.85.
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I should look into this. We go through a lot of batteries in our house. 😀
wow i would love to have one of those guess i never really thought about the batteries until you said something. we use batteries for everything. tv, computer, remotes, air conditioners. we could really make a change with a charger. thanks
Every time I read a review for this I want one. Right now I am not in need of one, but I will definitely be buying this when I do.