Earth Motion: Change Your Batteries

Earth911 is honoring the 52 years of Earth Day with 52 Actions for the Earth. Every week by way of Earth Day 2023, we’ll share an motion you may take to put money into the Earth and make your individual life extra sustainable. The flip of the yr is a superb time to handle a few of these jobs round the home that we frequently delay. This week, you may take motion for the Earth and clear some house at dwelling by switching your batteries.

Motion: Change Your Batteries

Batteries

Today, almost the whole lot we personal comprises a battery. From watch batteries to toys powered by single-use AA or AAA batteries to our rechargeable energy instruments, and naturally, our vehicles, there are a whole lot of completely different sorts of batteries in a house. What all of them have in frequent is that they’re unhealthy for the surroundings and infrequently exhausting to get rid of safely. Batteries include pink listing chemical substances like cadmium, mercury, and lead. When individuals get rid of batteries in a landfill or incinerator, these chemical substances will be launched into groundwater and the air.

Many states ban batteries from disposal within the rubbish. Many others don’t particularly regulate batteries, however batteries nonetheless meet their definition of hazardous waste. Even the place disposal is prohibited, recycling batteries will be difficult. The various completely different sorts of battery include completely different chemical substances with completely different recycling processes and dealing with necessities. And group assets for recycling fluctuate broadly throughout the nation. Because of this, almost each dwelling has a stash of useless batteries. That pile of batteries simply retains rising whereas we look ahead to a simple recycling answer.

Recycle Batteries

This week, dig out that stash of outdated batteries and determine the right way to recycle every sort. Use Earth911’s dwelling battery recycling information to begin. Most of your outdated batteries will most likely be the outdated sort of single-use battery, however even rechargeable batteries ultimately die and should be recycled. Don’t neglect to gather and recycle the larger and extra uncommon batteries like rechargeable instrument batteries whilst you’re at it.

To seek out your nearest battery recycling location, use Earth911’s Recycling Locator or use the recycling search instrument. In case your native recycling choices are restricted, look into mail-in recycling packages. As you analysis your choices, make an observation of the forms of batteries you employ most.

Change Your Batteries

Now that you’ve a transparent thought of the forms of batteries you employ, you may take a couple of minutes to search out extra sustainable alternate options. Most of your electronics most likely already use rechargeable batteries, however these days, you may even change disposable AA and AAA batteries with rechargeable choices.

However you may need a inventory of disposables available. When you do, go forward and use them earlier than recycling them. As you employ up your present inventory of batteries, select extra sustainable ones to switch them. If you wish to go even additional, take into account a transportable photo voltaic power system to recharge your units and your new batteries, and even change your private home to photo voltaic electrical energy.