Green Gadgets That Steal the Show

Gadget makers clearly recognize that going green is the best way to earn a little green in the struggling economy.

Devices that use less energy, contain fewer harmful chemicals or are otherwise friendly to the planet abound at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year. Among some of the hottest eco-friendly gadgets being showcased: devices that consume less power while idle or shut off. After all, standby power accounts for roughly 75% of a household's electronics energy bill, reports the U.S. Department of Energy. For most families, that's more than $250 a year. (For low-tech ways to reduce those costs, click here.)

While a handful of these green gadgets are even friendly to your wallet, some of the more advanced technology doesn't come cheap. Here are five we spotted:

Ecobutton
Price: $25
Save energy every time you walk away from your computer -- without shutting it off -- using this software and USB-connected push button. One tap on the illuminated button sends your PC into an energy-saving mode (not hibernation or standby) drawing as little power as when it's off. Another tap restores the computer to exactly where you were: midsentence in a Word document, midmovie viewing online or any other computer activity. A desktop icon tracks energy, carbon emissions and cash saved. (A Mac version is in the works.)

Energizer Rechargeable Solar Charger
Price: $50
Switching to rechargeable batteries is an easy way to cut costs, but Energizer's (ENR) new solar charger also cuts the energy costs associated with recharging a battery. The handheld device works with both AA and AAA rechargeable batteries, and also has a USB port to power everything from your cellphone to iPod. (If you can't find the sun, an included AC adaptor ensures the devices you need get a full charge.)

Motorola W233 Renew 
Price: To be announced
With a 100% recyclable body -- made in part by recycled water bottles -- this basic mobile phone is set to launch in February with T-Mobile. The Renew offers nine hours of talk time, but few features beyond texting and an optional removable memory card for music. (The idea: Fewer applications mean less power drain and less need to charge your phone.) Motorola buys carbon offsets from the nonprofit Carbonfund.org to counterbalance the energy required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone. The packaging even includes a postage-paid envelope to recycle your old phone.

Dynamism OQO model 2+
Price: $999 and up
Netbooks are already known for being lightweight and energy-efficient, but this new offering from Dynamism takes both attributes to a new level with the first organic light-emitting diode (OLED) computer screen. (For more on the OLED trend at 2009 CES, click here.) OLEDs are roughly 40% more energy-efficient than LCD screens, and the paper-thin screen keeps the weight of the OQO model 2+ to less than a pound. (Size: just 5.6 inches by 3.3 inches by 1 inch.) Even though its build is slight, the computer packs a powerful punch with an Intel (INTC) Atom processor.

Sony Bravia VE5 Series
Prices: To be announced
Each of the three TVs in Sony's (SNY) new line (40-inch, 46-inch and 52-inch) boasts a standby switch that, when flipped, reduces power consumption to nearly zero watts. Motion and light sensors track your presence, shutting off the set when no one is in the room. Add in energy-efficient hot cathode fluorescent lamps (HCFLs), and the resulting TVs are about 40% more energy efficient than other Sony models, according to the company.