We spend a lot of time thinking about batteries. In our many contemplations, we tend consider the implications of replacing single-use batteries with USB-C rechargeable batteries based in lithium-ion technology. Most days, the prospect of eliminating single-use batteries gets us really excited.

Rechargeable Batteries = Convenience

The introduction of consumer batteries sure made life more convenient. There may be no clearer example than the first automotive batteries manufactured during the early 20th century. Prior to those batteries being invented, cars had to be cranked. You couldn't just climb in, turn a key, and rely on an electric starter to get the engine running.

Cranking the car was quite inconvenient. In cold weather, getting the car started took a lot of work. But with automotive batteries and electric starters, things changed. Life became a lot more convenient for car owners who could now just hop in and go.

Rechargeable batteries bring another level of convenience to our lives. It makes it easier to keep your devices charged because you already have the batteries you need at home. All you have to do is make sure you have some fully charged batteries on hand. With our rechargeable batteries here at Pale Blue Earth, you only need around an hour to get your batteries charged up.

Batteries = Portability

Maybe convenience isn't something you think about in respect to batteries. Fair enough. But what about portability? Electric light is portable, in the form of a flashlight, thanks to C, D, and AA batteries. People relied on candles and kerosene lamps before the era of electric flashlights.

On a more modern note, portable communication is possible thanks to battery-powered cell phones and radios. The cell phone did not exist 40 years ago. If you wanted to call someone on the phone, you had to use a landline.

With batteries you get portable digital cameras, digital music players, power tools, laptop computers, tablets, and on and on. Modern culture is so used to portability that people take it for granted. Things haven't always been this way.

Rechargeable Batteries = Productivity

Another often-forgotten benefit of the rechargeable battery is its ability to improve productivity. A clear illustration of this concept is the equally humble cordless drill. Decades ago, before cordless drills that double as electric screwdrivers, driving screws by hand was a long and tedious process. Imagine electricians, plumbers, and carpenters having to attack dozens of screws every day with nothing more than a manual screwdriver.

Today, battery-powered cordless drills do the work in a fraction of the time. Workers need to put forth very little physical effort as well, meaning they can do more work in the course of a day. Rechargeable batteries only add to that efficient productivity by guaranteeing that you don’t need to make a run to the store when you’re out of batteries. You can just recharge the ones you’ve got at home and be good to continue your work.

Batteries = Less Fossil Fuels

To us, one of the big advantages of battery power is reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Gone are the days when lawnmowers and leaf blowers needed to be powered by gasoline. Battery-powered models do just as good a job.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are also in play. Manufacturers are still perfecting the technology, but there could be a day when people only use internal combustion engines because they want to, not because they need to. EVs will offer similar range, better performance, and the ability to get from point A to point B without burning fossil fuels.

Regardless of what batteries mean to you personally, they have changed the way we live our lives. Likewise, USB-C rechargeable batteries have changed the way millions of people power their devices. It is time to say goodbye to single-use batteries in favor of rechargeable technologies that deliver equal performance in a more sustainable way and at a fraction of the cost.