Environmental degradation continues to be a growing global concern, especially with the skyrocketing technological advancements that lead to pollution and electronic waste. Even with the implementation of various advocacy tools to conserve the environment, little has been achieved, so much work still needs to be done.
Going green isn’t all about million-dollar projects. You can start small by upcycling junk sitting somewhere in your home. Go green with these creative DIY gadget projects.
1. Old Laptop Screen Into a Stand-Alone Monitor
Give an ancient laptop to someone, and they’ll feel like a punishment now that smartphones have better specs. Well, disposing it off doesn’t feel appropriate either. Why not boost your work efficiency by utilizing two screens?
Besides giving your old laptop new life, you get to tap into your creative side. It’s advisable to double-check the connections to ensure everything is in place. The piece will look fascinating with a frame around it.
2. Make a Solar Panel from Broken Solar Cells
Here’s something to make you smile. You don’t have to throw away your solar panel just because it’s compromised. Crafting your solar panel doesn’t get cheaper than utilizing damaged solar cells. As long as the cells aren’t 20 percent damaged, they can produce 85-100 percent of the rated voltage.
How big or small your solar panel will be depends on the cells you have at hand. The process is fun and budget-friendly.
3. Supercapacitor USB Light
Sometimes the simplest DIY ideas are the most practical, and they often don’t come easier than the supercapacitor USB Light. Think about how handy a small flashlight could be when you need something to light your way. You can brighten the night with just a supercapacitor, a couple of resistors, an LED, and a USB plug.
It’s small for the pocket or hand, and you can recharge it almost anywhere via the USB port.
4. DIY Fire-Powered Smartphone Charger
You can buy USB chargers on Amazon at reasonable prices, but is there some fun in that? Well, the days of taking hiking and camping trips with uncharged devices are over with this soldering project. Everything you need for this is probably lying around the house or are easily accessible.
Unlike other beginner electronic projects, you get something valuable out of this one. You can boost your creativity skills by picking your enclosure to add a premium look.
5. DIY Clap-Activated Light Switch
Without a doubt, everyone has one of those days they don’t feel like doing anything. Why not create a device that will make life easier during such moments? Clap! Light on or off is a luxury everyone needs.
You need a microphone, micro-controller, prototyping boards, and resistors, among other accessible components.
6. DIY LED Throwies
Want to add a little ambience to your room or backyard? Well, LED throwies are projects you can pull off with no hiccups to create a cozier atmosphere during the night. Not only does this inspire creativity, but it also promotes science learning among kids.
The batteries can stay lit for one to two weeks. You can ask the kids to replace them without your supervision since they won’t require scissors.
If you want to add extra comfort in your room, try out a DIY air conditioner project.
7. DIY Bicycle Powered Generator
What if you're told of an easier way to cut your utility bills? Don't let curiosity kill you. Here's how. You can transform the used wheels into an active generator that can be used to light your bulbs, laptops, blender, and other appliances in your home.
It's a backup plan in case there's no wind or sun to charge your batteries. Power your home today with a handmade generator and significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint.
8. DIY Water Batteries
From your chemistry class, you must have heard of the term redox reaction. That’s precisely how a water battery works by producing electricity through the oxidation process. It would help if you had water batteries in your survival kits.
The basic water battery can run your low power devices. Not many people know this, but it's the simplest project you can set up at home. Harness energy from water using an alkaline solution, water, and copper.
9. Fruit-Powered Clock
A fruit-powered clock is one of the oldest DIY electronics projects around. If you think it's a dull idea, try it, and you'll be impressed by the results. The fruit clock is a thrilling activity that allows you to experiment with converting chemical energy to electrical energy.
It's a straightforward, practical concept that requires about 15 minutes of your time, few materials like three copper wires, two pieces of fruits (preferably orange), any clock battery, six alligator clips, two pennies, and two paper clips.
10. Old Radio into a Bluetooth Speaker
Are you looking into incorporating your radio with powerful loudspeakers? You can breathe a second life into your vintage radio by retrofitting a Bluetooth speaker. Imagine how aesthetically appealing it would be to your guests' eyes.
Add an audio input into the amplifier, tackle a few rewiring procedures, and that's it. The beauty of it is that you get to sing like a nightingale and listen to sound effects of Pandora while streaming from your phone.
11. DIY Solar Phone Charger
You know how frustrating it can be after experiencing a power outage when your phone is 5%. However, this project is about to free you from electric slavery. Remember that solar panel you made from broken solar cells? If not that big, you could craft a phone charger from it in just a few steps.
Either way, you can make portable partitions which prove handy when camping. It would be best to cover the solar cells with a foldable water-resistant material.
12. DIY Door Alarm
You never thought you needed a homemade door alarm until you met your four-year-old eating ice cream in the middle of the night. Besides scaring that nosy toddler, you get to take burglars by surprise for general home protection.
The materials you need are available at a local hardware store. Some like a clothespin, tape measure, and cardboard could be lying around your garage. The project promises to stretch your electrical wiring skills.
Start Small, Think Global
Without a doubt, you’ve probably spotted a few gadget projects that you can tackle during weekends or any time you’re free. As you’ve probably noted, most of the resources needed for these DIY projects are materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, causing pollution.
Hopefully, these ideas will challenge you to take bigger projects in the future to conserve the environment.