The Changers Solar Power System / Image from Gizmodo This is where the tech side of me meets the environmental-nerd part of me and they have a baby. And this is what that baby would look like. I first heard about the Changers Kalhuohfummi solar battery and the Changers Maroshi solar module on CBC Radio’s Spark podcast with Nora Young. Changers is a Berlin-based start-up company that manufacturers solar panels and batteries that you can use for charging your smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players. As Nora Young suggests, though, there is nothing new about solar powered chargers for small electronic gadgets. But the allure of the Changers model is two-fold: not only has Changers taken aesthetics to heart in designing a sleek and modern battery and panel that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, but they’ve added a new element to the mix that other solar chargers lack: they’ve integrated – what else? – social media. Solar charging on the S Bahn / Changerscom Instagram A Sunny Saturday in Germany / Changerscom Instagram The idea is not only to limit the amount of CO2 used in the charging of your electronics by drawing power directly from the sun, but to give users an opportunity to register their device with the Changers Community in order to track and share the amount of CO2 reduced, and the volume of sunlight captured. Users can connect their account with social media to let friends know about the great work they’re doing, you know – saving the planet and all. Fancy graphs show you your energy savings. And if your friends are part of the Changers Community you can compete with them to capture more sunlight than they do while earning badges and awards. But most interestingly, the more sunlight you use to power your devices, the more Changers Credits you will earn which can be used to purchase other green products from companies that have affiliated with Changers. And the types of perks continue to grow. Sadly, Changers does not ship to Canada just yet, otherwise this planet-friendly device would definitely have made it on my holiday wish list. Currently, the Kalhuohfummi solar battery and the Maroshi solar module can be purchased in Europe and the United States, but growth to Canada is expected in the next year. Any international readers want to give me a late Christmas present?
