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There's a strange paradox going on in the murky world of consumerism: our appetite for electronics has rocketed over the past few years, with sales totalling billions of dollars worldwide. Yet we're also under massive pressure to reduce energy consumption! It's all a bit confusing, but luckily there is a definite move towards smart electronics that only use energy when needed.

Some products really do help save energy or other resources, others are really just eco toys. But maybe even they have a role to play, introducing newcomers to the potential of solar energy for instance, or giving you ideas for recycling newspapers or cans. Increasingly, gadgets have to look the part, too, and have gone from being drab and functional to design-led and eco-chic. New technology and more competition have driven down the price of green gizmos, so you can help save energy without spending a fortune.

SOLAR POWER

Solar has recently got sexy. Once a dull-but worthy technology that simply sat on roofs, solar power has become a hand-held tool we can all make use of. We've seen solar-powered tents, scooters and LED house numbers, while mundane ones like bike and garden lights, torches and radios have been around a while. You can now get small solar-powered devices that run virtually all portable handheld electronic devices including iPods and mobile phones.

There are solar powered wearables, too, such as baseball caps with integral solar panel and fan, and backpacks that act as a mobile power source, designed to charge your gadgets while on the move.

ELECTRICITY SAVERS

Smart meters, which measure your energy consumption, are pretty much de rigueur for the eco-conscious consumer. Electricity monitors, wireless devices that attach to your electricity meters, give you a realtime display of how much juice you are using, wherever you are in the house, plus what this costs and the amount of carbon dioxide it generates. There are even models that look fabulous and change colour.

Another way of saving electricity is with a standby cut-off, featuring a switch and two wireless remote control sockets. You plug it into a wall socket and then plug your TV, stereo, set top box, computer, etc. into the socket. Just fl ick the switch when you leave the house and you know you're not wasting energy. A similar device is a special plug that switches your fridge and freezer off when they don't need power, saving energy of around 20%.

LAUNDRY LOW DOWN

Using eco-balls in your washing machine instead of detergent can save water and energy by removing the need for a second rinse cycle. They produce ionised oxygen that naturally activates the water molecules, to create an efficient wash without harsh detergents, using less water and time.

NEWSPAPER RECYCLER

Look out for simple logmakers that recycle your newspapers and turn them into bricks to burn on the fire. You need to soak the paper in water, squash it into the logmaker and squeeze down the handles. Remove the brick and leave to dry out.

WIND-UP TECHNOLOGY

Wind-up gadgets, such as the radios invented by Trevor Bayliss, are also enjoying a flush of success, particularly with the debut of the first digital audio broadcasting (DAB) wind-up radio, wind-up torches and wind-up mobile phone chargers.

BETTER BATTERIES

We should all be using rechargeable batteries, of course, but on the horizon is a new breed of water-activated, replaceable battery, which produces the same amount of energy as a normal battery, but is made mainly from carbon. These batteries are much cheaper (about 10% the cost of normal batteries), take less energy to produce, and are non-toxic.

LED LIGHTS

Light Emitting Diode (LED) lightbulbs are the environmentally friendly lights of the future. They last for around 30,000 hours (compared to about 15,000 for a normal low energy bulb), saving you even more money and energy. Unlike ordinary incandescent lightbulbs, they don't have a fi lament that will burn out, and they don't get very hot. Although LED bulbs cost a bit more than low energy bulbs, they have many advantages; they also contain no harmful chemicals (low energy bulbs can contain mercury), and tend to be smaller and lighter, so saving on transport and packaging.


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