Who needs powerful, electric speakers when you’ve got bamboo? These speakers are simply giant chunks of bamboo that amplify sound. And forget bragging about vinyl -- the best part about this product is telling your friends you listen to Yeezus on bamboo.
If you’ve ever pulled the plug on a screaming alarm clock, only to show up to work an hour late, you aren't alone. Bedol has you covered: It only requires water to run. Fill it up every 8 to 12 weeks, and you’re good to go.
An oldie but goodie, the Citizen Eco-Drive watch doesn’t require a battery or anything close to it. It runs completely on any type of light. Cheapest power source ever.
Ever find yourself lost in a remote jungle, only to realize that you forgot to pack batteries for your lantern or radio? Probably not, but you'd want the Wind ‘N Go line with you if such a situation happened to you. This product only requires you to turn a crank in exchange for a bounty of light and radio power.
We’ve long used fire for warming ourselves and even for fueling large ships. But charging our cellphones with fire is uncharted territory. Using only your campfire, this stove can cook while charging your iPhone. This is definitely camping for the 21st century.
Forget gasoline-powered buses -- this one requires the footwork of six to 10 people, who pedal (much like a bicycle) to keep it moving. It contains a keg of beer as a bonus (the driver and bartender, of course, do not drink). Though the one pictured is in Minneapolis, many cities have similar offerings.
While anyone and everyone might have battery-powered toothbrushes, most of us are used to using our hands. This brush, though, utilizes the power of light to generate electrons, which, when combined with water, create a chemical reaction that brushes your teeth without toothpaste. No batteries? No toothpaste? No problem.
These hydro-electric batteries from Aqua Power Japan run on liquid, powering your devices with iced tea, Everclear or even your own urine.
This one might be a could-have-been product, as it no longer appears on TOTO’S official website. But a list like this would be remiss if we didn’t remember the motorized tricycle that ran on feces in 2011. It trekked across Japan, so even if you can't run out and purchase one right now, it’s good for all inventors to keep in mind that this type of technology exists.
What better product to fuel the creation of beer than old beer? That’s what the Alaskan Brewing Company thought, when it decided to use its wet or "spent" grain to create — you guessed it — more beer. This may just prove the hypothesis that beer is the greatest liquid on Earth.
The battery freed us from the power cord's limitations, just as gasoline freed us from the restrictiveness of our own two feet. But in the intervening years, we’ve learned how to derive energy from a number of more natural substances, including water, glass, wood and even our hands. The gallery above includes a number of devices that can either propel us into the future or the past of energy derivation. Nevertheless, none of these products use traditional batteries or cords to power up.
See also: 10 Online Shops for Sustainable Wares
From light to water to your own two hands (and — err — urine), energy is everywhere.
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