Core77

Those of us that grew up changing TV channels with that manual dial darn well appreciated remote controls when they came out. So we're hoping kids who grow up with Ecotronic Toys, which are self-powered, will grow up with an increased appreciation for energy.

Fact: there are 900 million batteries usedeach year in the UK alone and many are in toys. Only 2% of batteries are currently recycled--the rest end up in landfill sites and are poisoning our planet!

The Ecotronic line includes a microphone, flashlight, radio and others; wind, shake, and crank them into life. If mom and pop run out of cell juice, there's even a cable on the radio that will charge their phones up as long as Junior keeps cranking. And having babysat hyperactive kids before, we'd probably make sure our phones were always out of juice!