Peak frustration for my kids: getting an epic birthday present and realizing it doesn't come with batteries included.
Peak guilt for me: dumping dead batteries in the junk drawer.
Tom Bishop — the founder and CEO of Paleblue — is working to solve both problems. He and his team have invented long-lasting rechargeable batteries that actually work — unlike others that are either unreliable, slow-charging, low-voltage, or require a wall charger.
That's why I'm obsessed with Paleblue. Each Paleblue battery can replace 1,000 single-use alkaline batteries — and they charge directly via USB-C.
Bishop is a tech entrepreneur based in Park City, Utah, and he's Energizer Bunny-focused on simultaneously saving customers money and keeping harmful batteries out of landfills. They need to be "super easy to use and will save consumers a lot of time, money, and waste," he told me.
⚠️ Why this is important
Americans buy roughly 3 billion batteries every year, and millions of single-use alkaline batteries are thrown out or incinerated — even as recycling programs at major retailers like Staples are expanding.
• "The sheer amount of wasted resources, wasted money, product and packaging waste is staggering," said Bishop.
• "In the U.S. alone, it's 10 million per day, amounting to 20,000 pounds per hour, day and night, 365 days a year — we're talking hundreds of thousands of tons per year, every year."
"We knew we could do better," Bishop told The Cool Down. "Advancements in battery tech and electronics have changed products in so many areas of lives, but yet we still rely on single-use batteries. It seemed crazy to look at our own lives and see wasted money and resources."
Bishop has built his career around innovating and developing consumer electronics, so he set his sights on developing a rechargeable battery that works.
After making and testing prototypes, Paleblue launched a Kickstarter campaign in January 2020 — and the company hasn't looked back since.
🔢 Key numbers
The company says it's sold some 2.5 million batteries, saving as much as 110 million pounds in single-use waste alkaline batteries.
• The batteries hold a steady and strong 1.5 volts from start to finish thanks to what the company said is a higher-quality lithium-ion chemistry.
• As for charging, it takes one hour for a AAA battery and 90 minutes for AAs.
• Instead of a wall charger, every battery has its own USB-C port that plugs into any outlet.
💲 Pricing
Paleblue's batteries cost $30 for a four-pack of AAs at major retailers, and if you buy directly through the company site, you get a "Charged For Life" guarantee. While they're more upfront than the cost of disposable batteries, they pay off in no time.
👀 TCD readers get a 20% discount when purchasing through Paleblue with the code COOLDOWN20.
🔋 The future of consumer batteries
"In short, they will be even better — longer-lasting, faster-charging, easier to use," said Bishop. "We are now selling our third-generation products and working on future innovations as fast as we can."
Anna Robertson is a co-founder of The Cool Down and loves discovering and testing new sustainable products.
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