First it was the wind up flashlight now there is a brand new wind up TV remote that can be recharged by simply winding it up.
The device only needs a small amount of energy to generate and store electricity in its rechargeable battery. Users turn a dial on the front 30 times to create enough power to run the $45.00 ‘eco-friendly’ device for seven days.
According to the Daily Mail in the UK the makers say it is ‘bringing an end to the frustration of remote controls running out of juice at the crucial moment’. The remote can also control up to six devices, meaning it could be used for a television, Foxtel, PVR, DVD, VCR and a home theatre receiver.
It is compatible with most major brands including Samsung, Sony, Philips and Panasonic.
The product is available online from www.ethicalsuperstore.com, where you can also buy a wind-up MP3 player or a solar-powered laptop charger.
According to the Daily Mail a reviewer called Marty wrote on the website: ‘The obvious plus of the remote is that you never need run out of or have to dispose of batteries again.’
He went on to say he was unable to link it up to his own DVD and Sky box because they were not compatible but added: ‘Even if every household replaced just one remote control in their house with a battery-free alternative, the UK would use approximately 50million fewer batteries a year.
‘This is a rough calculation based on 25million households replacing one remote control that uses two batteries with a wind-up remote.’
Marty said ‘The remote control does make a noise… but it should be quite acceptable to watch TV whilst winding.’
Nicky Chambers of Best Foot Forward, a firm which provides carbon footprint analysis, said the product was ‘in principle very good’ as it removed the need for batteries which are a source of toxicity.
But she added: ‘It’s all about the quality. If it breaks down easily then the energy and materials needed for a new one will outweigh the energy saved.’
