Commentary: Every new phone, camera, and MP3 player we purchase adds yet another charger to our own increasing array (knot, tangle, etc.) of cords we must track. Some even come with a charger to plug into a USB port or our vehicle’s cigarette lighter; and if not, we can go out and buy those, too! Yippee!
What if there were one standard charger that fit all new devices, say, produced after January 2010? Or maybe there could be an agreed upon five standards, for which we can all own an adapter that allows us to use the correct piece for the specific device, similar to adapters allowing appliances from one country to fit the electrical outlets of another. Perhaps it could look similar to a power strip with several adapters available for your growing multitude of rechargeable devices.
Besides the elimination of this huge inconvenience for the consumer, think of all the wasted cords, chargers, adapters that usually make their way to the landfills, suddenly not only not wasted, but never even produced? We wouldn’t have to have a new charger with every new electronic device, because you already own one. Lose yours? All electronics stores could carry the one agreed upon charger. Supermarkets would stock them like batteries.
Switching phones? Keep your charger. You’re going to need it. Getting a new camera? Funny how the old adapter works just fine.
Currently, there is no standard for electronics chargers. But look at the batteries that chargers have replaced (the batteries are now built into the devices). A, AA, AAA, B, C, D. Does this sound familiar? Yes, we have watch batteries, odd camera batteries, and hearing aid (button) batteries, but of no concern — it’s still standardized from one device to another. The point is that the mainstay standard batteries are especially easy to locate and purchase.
The Benefit: A set of standards would allow consumers and manufacturers to not worry about the power source, just as we do not worry when we go to the supermarket whether or not they will carry AA size batteries — it’s a given. Finding a specific charger can be a major nuisance and by not standardizing, we are allowing millions of chargers with years of worth left to be tossed into the waste stream.
A little government or industry leadership could make throwing one’s old charger away because of switching devices a ridiculous waste of the past. Of course, there’s that economic benefit manufacturers may not want to look at passing up: in listing chargers at $15 or more to people who need a very specific one, the amount of competition on any one given charger is minimal.
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