While their individual wants may vary (probably depending on which commercial they have seen or which friend bought which gadget most recently), one common feature of the things they may want is a battery. Or multiple batteries.

Nowadays, just about everything requires one or more batteries to operate, some rechargeable by design and others using traditional, disposable alkaline versions. An estimated 15 billion alkaline batteries alone get made and then chucked every year. Unfortunately for the planet and its inhabitants, all of those batteries contain toxic components, such as mercury, cadmium, lead, and other metals. Equally unfortunately, only a tiny percentage of the rechargeable and disposable batteries used to power modernity’s techno-trinkets ever get recycled or disposed of in safe ways. As a result, those toxins combine with all the energy and pollutants emitted during the manufacture, transport, and storage of batteries that end up in the trash after a single use.

Recognizing the seriously hazardous trend in battery production and usage, UK-based company Moixa Energy has launched its Alkaline Awareness Campaign to help educate consumers. In addition, Moixa Energy is offering a special “Carbon Footprint” version of its USBCELL rechargeable battery–so that consumers will recognize how they are acting as “CO2 Savers” by using the USBCELL instead of alkaline batteries.

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