Be the change you wish to see in the world

Ghandi said that. Or maybe Oprah. Well, I’m more realistic. I say: buy the change you wish to see. And this seems like as good a place to start as any: solar chargers.

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All these solar chargers will work for any small device: MP3 players, mobile phones and the like. And they come with common connectors.

Basic Black – 169rmb

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My friend has one of these cheap little knock-off iPods. They have trouble holding a charge, so this booster is probably a good idea.

Tiny Device Charger – 28rmb

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Or cut out the middleman and go for a solar-and-MP3 in one unit.

Solar powered MP3 player – 213rmb

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Carrying two mobile phones lets everyone know that you are a serious individual. Choose this charger shaped like a mobile phone and give a powerful impression.

i1300s – 99rmb

Looking for another style? Check Taobao’s full selection.

You’re better than that.

For the price of about four AA’s, you can liberate yourself from the battery swap forever. This solar-powered universal remote pays for itself almost instantly.

Solar-powered remote controls – 20rmb

Handheld Cooling Units

Are you guys hip to the mini handheld electric fan? You should be. It is the only reason I can manage Shanghai’s summers. I don’t understand why everyone I see on the street isn’t using one.

They are amazing. Life-changing, even. But… they do require a hand to hold them. And when I’m trying to eat some baozi on my morning commute, it’s just too much to handle.

That’s why I was considering this solar-powered fan hat. But there was something holding me back from making the leap to a hat-mounted lifestyle. The fashion is just totally not proper for a gentleman of my standing. I mean, look at that exposed wire. Sloppy work. I mean, I don’t wanna look like a dumbass!

And then I saw this:

Oh damn! I feel like I just got an education in style. Sunglasses, hat and fan. All in one package. (Click through here on that one for more awesome pictures of that kid.)

The only problem is that I already have a super cute pink visor that I like to wear. Is there any way to retrofit it with the latest in fan technology?

That’s the one! This clip-on model works with any firm-brimmed hat. It’s solar-powered and looks totally sweet. Not only am I going to buy one. I am going to corner the market, because this is gonna be the next big thing.

Our planet is under constant threat. No, not by global warming — I’m talking about the threat of a zombie uprising. When the day comes, you will want to make sure to be fully prepared to hunker down and wait it out. That means stocking up on food and supplies. And if you are really a cunning person, a solar generator.

The systems, consisting of a solar panel and a box to plug appliances into, looks like it was built in Doc Brown’s laboratory. But don’t expect this thing to deliver 1.21 Gigawatts. The biggest one, coming in at just under 3000rmb, is said to be able to power a small refrigerator, or other smaller appliances.

Until these things can handle a kongtiao, I don’t think they’ll be making a dent in my electric bill. But better versions might not be possible until these beta models get some traction.

Solar Power on Taobao 400 – 2,000rmb