You're doing your bit to save the planet: driving around town with solar panels installed on your hybrid car, and keeping your D-cell batteries out of landfills — because you recharge all of yours via that gassy ball in the sky, thanks to solar chargers.

But what about gadgets with built-in batteries? When it comes to charging your phone or iPod, the sun has been left you cold. Enter the Universal Solar Charger. Weighing in at about half a pound, the $69 device converts the sun's rays into juice for your mobile phone and other USB-interfacing gadgets.

An indicator light will change red, orange or green to show how much power remains — so you'll know if you can keep your BlackBerry alive long enough to "work from home" at the ball game. You can also recharge the Universal Solar Charger with AC power — at which point the green crowd will most likely pummel you with organic tomatoes. — Sandra Swanson

Brando, via Übergizmo