Solar power is great, but what if the sun isn’t shining, or it’s night time and you’re caught without a light. This tiny keychain flashlight can be hand-cranked in minutes to give a good LED light. All it needs is human power, turning food into light! And the best thing is that if you keep it on your keychain then it will always be right there when you need it. This would be a great stocking filler or party gift for older kids and eco-geeks of all ages.

Costs $4.99 from ThinkGeek

For occasional welder this Neiko solar powered helmet is a great buy. Its auto darkening feature works near instantly and very effectively. It is easily adjustable for a good fit, is lightweight and sturdy and it meets all the ANSI standards for eye protection. The viewing window is large enough to give a good view of our work area and the whole helmet gives good coverage. The solar cell recharges the internal lithium battery for continuous function. The flames decal decoration is an added bonus.
Currently this helmet is offered at 70% off the recommended retail price at Amazon.com, costing $45.35, so it’s a great deal.

When you need to measure small quantities of ingredients, such as spices or oils, ordinary scales, even digital ones aren’t much use. That is where this little green gadget comes in so handy. Simply spoon up an amount and get a digital reading on the handle, so you know exactly how much you have got. Even better, the measuring spoon is solar powered, so there is no battery to run low and give a dodgy reading. Leave it on a sunny window sill when it is not in use and it will be charged and ready to go whenever you need it.
The TC-11 – solar digital spoon scale currently costs $18.99 from MiniInTheBox

Kids love flashlights, but they often forget to switch them off. Buying batteries week after week gets expensive and is not great for the environment. This Lego flashlight is the perfect solution for Lego fans. It is hand cranked by rotating the arm, so the dynamo powers the flashlight with no need for batteries at all. It’s sturdy enough for younger kids and works well enough for adults to borrow in power outages!

It comes in various colors and there are also other Lego character versions, including a Police officer and a City construction man. This would make a great gift for any child who plays with Lego or who just enjoys gadgets.
Currently costs $ 20.83 from Amazon.com

This tiny car runs so fast, just on solar power. It’s solar panel takes up the whole roof and it really can go when the sun shines. The car measures only 2 inches long and it is a really zippy. These are cheap enough to buy several and let the kids race them, to introduce them to solar power in a fun way. It will even go at night when you shine a powerful flashlight on it. This would make a great stocking filler at Christmas and a fun filler for a party pack at birthday parties. Or make the car race one of the kids’ party activities.

Currently only costs $2.59 from MiniInTheBox