Today is National Bike to Work Day, and all across America, people are ditching their cars and trucks for a cleaner, healthier journey via bicycle. Our friends at Voltaic Systems joined in the fun to support NYC’s Bike to Work Day, and it’s no surprise that they added their own solar-powered flair to the day’s festivities. Company staffers decked out a commuter bicycle and with a custom-built bike trailer carrying 60+ Watts of portable solar panels, 180 Watt hours of charging capacity, and lots of connectors to charge up smartphones, tablets and even a MacBook, in an effort to show New Yorkers how much fun can be had when human and solar power are combined.

Read the rest of Voltaic Celebrates Bike to Work Day with Portable Solar-Charging Trailer You Can Rent!

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Post tags: bike commuting, bike to work day, bike trailer, solar charger, solar panels, Solar Power, voltaic systems

The Window Socket is an idea so fabulously simple, it’s slightly amazing that we haven’t seen one before. Designed by Kyuho Song & Boa Oh, the charger sticks to a window and draws solar power to an internal battery, which enables one to either plug in small devices to the outlet right there and then, or save the stored power for use during night time hours.

Read the rest of Window Socket: Portable Solar-Powered Outlet Sticks to Windows, Charges Small Electronics

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Post tags: Boa Oh, green energy, Kyuho Song, off grid charger, off grid living, portable outlet, portable socket, portable solar, solar battery, solar charger, solar devices, window socket

Voltaic, the innovative green design company that is best known for its portable solar panels and solar-powered bags, just unveiled a new LED touchlight, and it’s one of the brightest ideas we’ve seen recently. The tiny light is completely waterproof—in the YouTube video after the jump, the lamp is shown completely submerged in a jar of water—and with LED bulbs that range from 50 to 175 Lumens, it’s highly efficient. Best of all, it can be powered by any USB power source. That means that it’s a perfect match for, among other things, Voltaic’s own portable solar panels.

Read the rest of Voltaic Launches New Waterproof LED Touchlight That is Powered by Any USB Source

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Post tags: led light, off-grid lamp, off-grid lighting, pendant lamp, Portable Lamp, portable led, Recycled aluminum, solar charger, Solar Power, USB Touchlight, Voltaic, voltaic LED, voltaic systems, Voltaic touchlight, waterproof lamp

Read the rest of Top 6 Gadgets for the Home to Help You Go Green in 2013

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Post tags: automatic shades, conserve water, dimmer switch, eco bathroom, eco shower, efergy, efergy shower timer, electronic shades, energy saving thermostat, green bathroom, green lighting, home solar power systems, Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostat, insulating blinds, insulating shades, large solar chargers, light dimmer, light sensor switch, light sensors, lutron, Maestro C.L. Dimmer, Maestro Occupancy Sensing Switch, motion sensor lights, programmable thermostat, quality blinds, quality shades, reduce water use, Serena Shades, shower water monitor, solar charger, solar charger kit, Solar Power, solar power at home, sustainable products, Voltaic, water monitor, water saving, waterpebble, wifi thermostat

The Waka Waka Personal Solar Power Station is a clever little gadget that can charge any cell phone and tablet via a USB connector using a solar LED lamp. That means no more frustrating dead phone batteries, so long as the sun is out! The small, portable device looks like a reliable solution to make sure you can stay connected even when you’re far away from a power outlet.

Read the rest of Waka Waka Light’s Portable Solar Lamp Uses the Sun’s Energy to Charge Cell Phones

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Post tags: green gadget, LED lights, Solar Cell, solar charger, suns energy, sustainable design, Waka Waka Personal Solar Power Station, wakawaka light

When Hurricane Sandy hit last week and the power in my lower Manhattan apartment went out, my first thought, as I dug around for candles and LED lamps was “Well this will be a fun little off-grid adventure!” I naively harbored some romantic notion of the coziness of eating dinner and playing board games with my family by candlelight, and even actually enjoyed the first 24 hours without electricity for the chance to disconnect. However, when my gadget batteries started to die one by one, the water dried up, the food in the fridge started to spoil, and contact with the outside world began to shut down, the novelty started to wear off and the reality of the situation finally began to hit me. First my computer battery died, then iPad, then finally my phone, and I think I never fully realized until that moment how much of a lifeline these mobile communication devices are. Without even a working cell phone – my last vestige of communication – to call my family or look at the news, I had no idea what was going on around me, how much longer the power outage was supposed to last, and whether there was any help available, and I started to get desperate.

Read the rest of How The Nokero SunRay Pro Power Solar Charger Saved My Skin & My Sanity During Hurricane Sandy

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Post tags: blackout NYC, charger for power outages, compact solar chargers, compact solar power chargers, cord free lamps, designs for power outages, disaster relief designs, emergency lamps, emergency lighting earthquake lighting, emergency lights, emergency relief designs, flood lighting, humanitarian relief designs, hurricane new york, hurricane relief, Hurricane Sandy, hurricane sandy blackout, hurricane sandy knocks out power, jill fehrenbacher, new york blackout, new york goes dark, new york power loss, nokero, Nokero Crestone, Nokero Crestone Solar Light Bulb (N200), nokero Solar Battery Chargers, nokero solar charger, nokero solar charging unit, nokero solar products, Nokero SunRay Pro Power Panel, powerless new york, powerless nyc, sandy new york, sandy nyc, sandy storm, solar batteries, solar battery, solar charger, solar charging stations, solar gadgets, solar lamp, solar light, solar light bulb, solar lighting, solar power charger, solar power designs, solar power emergency gadgets, storm new york, sun chargers

It’s easy to get worked up about portable solar chargers. Yes, it’s awesome to make your own clean energy, and it’s wonderful not to be tethered to an outlet every time your phone needs a boost of juice. But what many solar charger manufacturers don’t tell you is that their devices need anywhere from 6 – 12 hours in direct sunlight before their internal batteries are fully charged, and it may take another six hours for them to transfer that power to your device. Bummer. Unless you’re using the SunVolt portable power station, that is.

Read the rest of SunVolt Power Station Can Charge Gadgets as Fast as a Wall Outlet

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Post tags: Don Cayelli, Gomadic, kickstarter, portable power station, solar charger, SunVolt

Portable solar chargers are an amazing creation, and now you can have one that latches onto almost anything you carry! Voltaic systems‘ Fuse 10W Solar Laptop Charger can attach to any technical backpack, panniers, or whatever else it can fit its flexible buckles around. The three 3.4 watt solar panels are lightweight, super-strong, and waterproof, so whether you are camping, hiking, or on any other adventure, your beloved devices will never be without power. Big enough to charge laptops of all sizes and versatile enough to accommodate tablets, iphones, cameras, and other handhelds, the Fuse 10W is the ultimate travel companion.


Read the rest of The Voltaic Fuse 10W Solar Laptop Charger Buckles Onto Any Backpack

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Post tags: "solar energy", backpack, bag, eco design sustainable design, eco products, eco-charger, fuse 10w, fuse 10w solar laptop charger, green charger, green design, green products, laptop charger, solar charger, solar design, solar laptop charger, Solar Power, solar products, solar-powered battery, sustainable charger, sustainable products, Travel, Voltaic, voltaic systems

It’s almost time to head back to school, and what better way to keep all your gadgets together and fully juiced than by carrying a multi-purpose charger on your back? The new Array Solar Backpack from Voltaic Systems is not your ordinary heavy duty, waterproof bag, but it also multi-tasks as also a portable solar laptop charger you can take anywhere! The bag boasts three super durable panels that can capture a full charge’s worth of the sun’s rays in just an hour, and its convenient size also lets you carry everyday school supplies and devices with no fuss.

Read the rest of Voltaic’s New Super-Charged Solar Array Backpack Juices Up Devices On The Go!

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Post tags: Array solar backpack, array solar laptop charger, eco backpacks, eco chargers, eco design, eco products, Green Backpacks, green chargers, green design, green products, laptop charger, Solar Backpack, solar charger, solar laptop charger, Solar Power, solar powered chargers, sustainable backpacks, sustainable design, sustainable products, Voltaic, voltaic systems

Charging your phone just got a whole lot easier and more energy-efficient with XD Design’s brilliant solar charger, which sticks to windows to maximize its exposure to the sun’s rays. Instead of having to follow the sunlight by moving the solar-powered gadget around the room, users can simply stick the thin charger to the inside of a glass window and leave it to soak up sunlight.

Read the rest of XD Design’s Solar Phone Charger Sticks to Windows For Better Efficiency

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", "solar energy", cellphone charging, eco design, green design, green gadgets, solar charger, solar charger that sticks to windows, Solar Power, sustainable design, XD Design, XD Modo

Grant Korgan, Image ©High Fives Foundation

As you read this, a team of adventurers is cross-country skiing their way to the bottom of the world. But this is no ordinary Antarctic expedition – this is the first attempt made by an adaptive athlete to reach the South Pole on a sit ski. Marking the 100-year anniversary when Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova expedition reached the earth’s most remote spot, The Push: South Pole Adventure team is making history. The team is led by Grant Korgan, who injured his spinal cord, has no control of his legs from the knees down and has poor circulation in his feet. To keep his feet warm in the sub-zero temperatures, he’s relying on a Goal Zero portable solar photovoltaic system and some Therm-ic high-tech heated socks, without which he would never be able to reach his goal.

Read the rest of Solar Panels & Heated Socks Aid First Adaptive Athlete To Ski To the South Pole

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Post tags: adaptive athlete, goal zero, grant korgan, green design, heated socks, korg 3.0 movement, korg movement, portable solar charger, portable solar power, renewable energy, solar charger, Solar Power, south pole, south pole push, sustainable design, the push, the push a south pole adventure, therm-ic

Sunlight = free, electricity = not free, so doesn’t it seem like a no-brainer to charge up your gadgets and small electronics using a solar charging device? That’s exactly the thinking behind the Ray, which uses the sun’s rays to juice up iPhones, iPads, iPods, most cameras, and a plethora of non-Apple cell phones. The popular item has not even technically been released yet (it’s available for presale) but in just 1.5 days, it has already amassed 400 pre-orders. The ray operates via a standard USB cable and can easily be used while hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, on a plane, or just in the car as a cell phone battery backup.

+ Ray Solar Charger

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Post tags: brandon craven, eco design, eco gadget, green design, green gadget, ray, ray solar charger, solar charger, solar iphone charger, solar iPod charger, Solar Power, sustainable design

The Strawberry Tree is a public solar charger for mobile devices invented by a group of students from the University of Belgrade. Their invention was unveiled for the first time in Serbia in October of 2010, when it was installed in the ‘City Square’ in the center of Obrenovac, Serbia, where it still remains today. This technological giant uses solar panels to provide dependable energy, while also promoting the use of clean energy.

+ The Strawberry Tree

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

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Post tags: green gadgets, green technology, solar charger, solar charger campus, solar charging points, student solar charger, the strawberry tree, the strawberry tree solar charger, zero energy charger

The ever-evolving transition from cell phones to smart phones has most of us itching for the latest model. But what to do when we want an upgrade that goes lighter on the earth? Sprint may have the answer with their new smartphone – touted as the first eco-friendly Android device. A combination of recycled materials, solar charging and the Android 2.2 Froyo platform makes the Samsung Replenish is the eco-answer for today’s smart device.

Read the rest of Sprint Introduces Replenish, the First Eco-Friendly Android Smartphone

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Post tags: cell phone, eco design, green design, Recycled Materials, smart device, solar battery, solar charger, Sprint Replenish, sustainable design

Once again, Eton has read our minds and brought us yet another useful mobile gadget: the Mobius solar charging case. Like the company’s other electronics, the Mobius is equipped with a monocrystal solar panel that gathers the sun’s energy and turns it into juice for your iPhone. With a battery built into the case, this clever gizmo increases your iPhone‘s talk and play time by a factor of 2, even when there isn’t a single solar ray to be seen. We’re also digging the fact that this case doesn’t turn your iPhone into a brick!

+ Eton Mobius

Via AcquireMag

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Post tags: Etón, eton charger, green design, green gadgets, green products, green technology, iPhone, iphone charger, mobius, solar charger, solar iphone charger, solar phone charger, Solar Power

Put green power in the palm of your hand!

Having trouble keeping your gadgets charged on a daily basis? Ever had your cellphone run out of juice on you in the middle of an important day? You’re in luck – we’re giving away one incredibly handy HYMini charger so that you’ll have access to clean green energy anywhere you go! This handheld universal charger and adapter harnesses the power of the wind and sun to recharge almost any mp3 player, cell phone, or camera, and all you have to do to win is tell us what your favorite green gadget in the gallery below is!

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE >
(We’ll be announcing the winner in our newsletter, so if you want to find out who the winner is, you’ll need to receive and read our newsletter)

2. COMMENT BELOW and tell us which Greener Gadget (see the gallery below) from the Greener Gadgets Design Competition is your favorite and why. The deadline for this fabulous giveaway is Monday, January 18th. We’ll pick the comment we like best and announce the winner in our newsletter, so make sure you’re signed up!

And don’t forget to stay tuned for the Greener Gadgets conference taking place in NYC on February 25th – it’s going to be packed with influential speakers from the green technology sphere and all the most innovative sustainable gadgets and gizmos.

Read the rest of Win a Hymini Portable Wind + Solar Gadget Charger!

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Post tags: "wind power", green gadgets, Greener Gadgets, hymini, miniwiz, portable charger, solar charger, wind energy

For those of you with the latest iPod or iPhone Touch, in a months time you’ll be able to charge your Apple gadgets with a fancy schmancy new solar case. Novothink, a manufacturer of alternative electronic devices, has just released their Solar Surge for the iPod and iPhone Touch. Your igadget slides easily into the hard case solar charger and can get fully juiced up from the sun! With something this handy and easy, you’ll never have to worry about a dead battery. It’s brilliant really. Can they please make one for Blackberrys too?

Read the rest of First Ever Apple-Licensed iPod Solar Charger Case Unveiled

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Post tags: iPhone, iphone solar charger, ipod, ipod solar charger, novothink, phone case, solar charger, surge solar charger

Photovoltaic gadgets often get trapped in the monotonous façade of plain panels, which often leave something to be desired in the aesthetics department. Not so with Vivien Muller‘s sleek PhotoSynthese charger. Resembling a potted bonsai tree, the silvery solar charger rests atop an elegant tray.


Read the rest of SOLAR TREE by Vivien Muller

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Post tags: decorative solar product, photosynthese, photovoltaic cells, solar charger, solar power for home, solar tree charger, vivien muller

Here at inhabitat we love seeing sun-soaking solar accessories, and this Solarjo Power Purse packs more than just good looks. Appearing at first glance as sleek as any other designer handbag, this classy clutch is studded with enough solar cells to charge a cell phone battery in just two hours. As chic as they are functional, you may soon see these solar powered purses on the arms of eco-fashionistas everywhere.


Read the rest of The Solarjo Solar Power Purse

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Post tags: alternative energy, eco-fashion, solar charger, solar handbag, solar purse, solar-powered, solarjo power purse

Looking for an eco-friendly and convenient alternative to charging your cell phone, camera, or laptop? The Brunton SolarRoll beats out solar-powered bags and backpacks and, certainly, the hassle of trying to find an electrical outlet when you’re traveling with mobile devices in tow. All you need is a little sunlight, and you can easily charge laptops, cell phones, cameras, and even car batteries!

Read the rest of THE SOLARROLL: The Go-anywhere Solar Gadget Charger!

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Post tags: Brunton, Brunton Solar Roll, eco-friendly products, green gadgets, Greener Gadgets, solar battery charger, solar camera battery charger, solar cell phone charger, solar charger, Solar computer charger, solar electricty, solar gadgets, solar laptop charger, Solar powered gadget charger, Solar Roll, SolarRoll