I’ve come into owning a solar mobile device charger called Solio and think it’s the greatest thing. This small device, a little larger than a cell phone, fans out into a clover like shape and has 3 little solar panels on it. It comes with all kinds of adapters, including one for iPods, and works to charge any device that requires less than 5.5 volts at its charge plug. Also, it’s constructed of non-VOC, recycled (or recyclable) plastic and the company supports responsible disposal at the end of the product’s life.

The Solio is so small and efficient. For home use, I just leave it by a window and plug my phone into it whenever I’m not using it. It picks up a charge into its internal battery when nothing is plugged into it so when you do need a charge, there’s one there. It works less efficiently on cloudy days, but still picks up charge, and on sunny days—obviously—it’s a happy camper.

The best thing, although it may seem small, is that I no longer use a wall charger to charge my phone or other small devices. Wall chargers suck small amounts of electricity even when they’re not connected to anything, so I feel good that I’m limiting my waste on that front by relying on solar for my mobile device charges.

I Buy: Solio. Efficient, portable, environmentally sound, mobile device charging.