Americans buy, and eventually toss, about 3 billion batteries per year, and the majority of them are Alkaline batteries. With the average price of a four pack of AA batteries running between $12 - $14, that’s a lot of cash. And we hate feeling like we’re always replacing them.

Just as CFLs are a cost-efficient, more convenient, eco-preferable alternative to incandescent lightbulbs, rechargeable batteries definitely trump disposables in several ways.

First, after the initial cost of purchasing a charger, rechargeables save you from having to reach into your pocket over and over again for a product with a very short life expectancy. Rechargeable NiMH batteries can be recharged 500 or more times, saving hundreds of dollars in battery purchases over time. We’re fans of Greenfeet’s NiMH/CAD Battery Charger, $29.95.

Plus, rechargeables often last longer than disposables between charges, meaning less time spent purchasing and replacing batteries.

But the feel-good cherry on top is that rechargeables are much more environmentally sound: one study estimates that rechargeable batteries have 1/32 the impact on the environment and use 1/23 the natural resources of disposable counterparts. Disposable batteries leak dangerous chemicals like lead, cadmium, and mercury, which can find their way into groundwater.

So basically, it’s rechargeable batteries – 3, disposable batteries – 0. Definitely a no-brainer.

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