By Lori Zimmer, Source: Inhabitat

A group of designers in Nairobi, Kenya have created a way to charge your cell phone with green energy, while recycling a plastic bottle! The Bottle Charger transforms any used plastic soda or water bottle into a 5 watt charger, the same as a standard smart phone charger. By adding boiling water, the miniature Blackbeard Unidirectional Constant Turbine (B.U.C.T.) creates electricity with the rise and fall of temperature, charging your phone while creating a mini science lab right on your kitchen counter.

With just one cup of boiling water, the Bottle Charger can power a cell phone in just 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature around the device. The device was created with those living off the grid in underdeveloped countries in mind. Over 200 million cell phone users in Africa do not have access to electricity at home, and must walk miles to the nearest charging station, where they must pay to re-juice their devices. The Bottle Charger would allow these families to power up, by simply boiling water on a fire or gas stove. The number of off the grid cell phone users is expected to double by 2015, driving the need for a sustainable and inexpensive energy source. Devices like the Bottle Charger will help these people become more independent, and less reliant on outside power.

The incredible device is currently in prototype phase, but hope for mass production and distribution are on the horizon. Green energy enthusiasts can help support the project and snag their own Bottle Charger by supporting their Kickstarter campaign. The project not only fosters green energy, but keeps one less plastic bottle out of the landfill, while giving off the grid families more freedom- a win-win-win.