chiqtech.com looks at Eneloop, a rechargeable battery brand from Sanyo and how it can help you help the environment from your own home.

There’s nearly about 3 billion disposable batteries sold in the US alone and 179,000 tons of that end up in trash dumps and landfills across the country. Battery manufacture uses hazardous chemicals like acids and heavy metals. A lot of environmental risks just to make and use a tiny product.

That’s where ENELOOP from Sanyo comes in.

ENELOOP is a battery brand that’s ready for immediate use and a low self-discharge like any disposable battery but it’s also like a rechargeable battery, designed for universal application, repeated use, made of materials can be easily recycled all wrapped up in a environmentally-safe package.

With a low self-discharge, ENELOOP can be used longer for any purpose: remote controllers, digital cameras, discmans et cetera. Also a low self-discharge would mean that ENELOOP batteries can be recharged faster!

ENELOOP also has this neat battery tester to check the battery life.

You place a Eneloop battery in the doggy’s underbelly and it’s blue LED nose would light up according to how much energy is still stored inside the battery. A low glow means low power.

To maximize the use of your ENELOOP batteries, here are some following tips:

1. Remove the batteries from your digital camera or discman when you’re not using them. This prolongs your batteries and also protects your stuff.

2. When not in use, store your batteries in very cool, dry place. Cold temperatures decrease the rate of electricity-producing reactions inside your batteries.

Moisture is bad for batteries since water is conductive for electricity, thus increasing your batteries self-discharge. Storing your yet-to-be used batteries in a refrigerator prolongs their shelf-life.

3. Be aware not to overcharge your batteries. Overcharging can wear down their battery life.