The famous London phone booth is a symbol of the city but, as is the case with most phone booths, its role is increasingly passé as cell phones become a global mainstay. But now the phone booths may serve a new purpose: charging your dead cell phone (or any mobile tech gadget for that matter).

A standard London phone booth has been repainted green and equipped with solar panels. The new kiosk has been stripped of its former hardware and replaced with charging stations for mobile devices. It’s one of five to be madeover.

According to MNN:

The preservation and reuse of the beloved yet antiquated phone boxes has become a sensitive point of contention for Londoners and those living in other British cities and overseas territories. No one, in London in particular, wants to see the crown-emblazoned payphone kiosks go away for good.

While the service is free, users are subjected to a stream of advertisements as they charge. The boxes are maintained daily and locked overnight, according to the BBC.

The project was started by two young London School of Economics entrepreneurs, Harold Craston and Kirsty Kenny.

“I lived next to a phone box in my second year at uni and walked past it every day. I thought, ‘There are 8,000 of these lying unused in London and we must be able to find a use for them,'” explained Mr Craston.

The solar box can charge up to 100 phones a day with a 20 percent battery boost in 10 minutes and since its launch, about six people per hour have used it. People seem to dig the new booth.

“On launch day, my phone ran out of battery and I genuinely had to use the box,” said Mr Craston.

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Image: MikeDixson

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Though it’s technically not summer in the U.S. for a couple more weeks, many of us consider the recently long holiday weekend as the jumping off point for three months of sun and fun anyway. As you’re dragging out tiki torches and festooning your patio with umbrellas and lawn chairs, here are five solar-powered gadgets that can add flair to anyone’s summer.

Helios Solar Grill Slap some garden burgers and skewers of vegetables on this sun-driven oven set-up and skip the lung-irritating charcoal. We’ve mentioned the Helios before, and as long as you don’t mind looking like you’re trying call in alien spacecrafts as you cook, the Helios is a great way to get your grill on.

Solar Ant Charmer Any ant can ruin a good picnic, but if you live in a region prone to fire ants, you know they’re more than just a nuisance – those little buggers hurt! Stab this little gadget into a fire ant hill, open the solar powered top, and let the little beasts drop into the cone. The Charmer emits a small electric charge that keeps the ants busy squirming as it fills up with their partners in crime. Once you’ve collected a nice batch of ants, dump in some warm, soapy water and send them to their watery graves. An ant killer with no harsh chemicals.

The Loon This 22-foot solar-assisted electric pontoon boat carries eight people and runs up to six hours on a charge. At a top speed of almost 10 MPH, you can put about 50 miles on this party barge without leaving a trail of emissions and other nasties behind.

Solar Powered Golf Cart If you’re a land lubber, tool around your neighborhood in this golf cart tricked out with 72 photovoltaic cells built into the roof to collect solar energy. Its maker claims the cart runs 33 percent longer than typical battery-powered golf carts and can tote you and your bags around the greens for a full ten rounds of golf before needing a recharge.

Juice Bag This beach tote has solar panels to recharge your mobile devices while you catch some rays of your own. Just plug your phone, camera, iPod, or GPS into the bag’s adapter, and the 52 waterproof micro solar cells will continue to charge your stuff as long as the bag is exposed to sunlight. The solar panel pops off for cleaning, and the bag itself is made from recycled PET products.

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The hottest and cheapest green gizmos on the market share a waste-not, want-not mentality, letting us better time our showers, shake up solar flashlights, and even air dry plastic sandwich bags for reuse. Here are 20 that cost $20 and under…meaning they will lighten the planet’s load without making a big dent in your bank account.

$20 RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES

Being a consummate shutter bug, my camera burns through batteries way too fast, so it’s good to find this rechargeable battery called USBCELL – giving new life to the NiMH AA cell by plugging it into a USB port. Makes good sense when you think about the over 15 billion alkaline batteries produced and tossed each year. (Are they disposed of responsibly? Not exactly.)

$20 MICRO FOREVER FLASHLIGHT

This baby version of the L.E.D. Forever Flashlight never needs batteries or bulbs and is ideal for packing in emergency kits and glove compartments. Just 15-30 seconds of shaking gives you up to 5 minutes of continuous bright light with over a mile of visibility.

ICU $20 ECO FRIENDLY READERS

All eyes are on ICU Eyewear for its affordable readers made from recycled materials in a variety of fun styles, such as these retro preppy frames like the ones William Hurt wore in his younger days. It’s not just the horned rims but the price point that makes you look smart! The company’s UVA protection sun shades of recycled plastic sell for a little more moola, $22, and made Oprah’s “O List” in her magazine.

THE AMAZING WATER CLOCK┞¢

Just add liquid and stir out of bed by setting this blue, mirrored front clock with a large LCD screen display for time and date, from Smart Home. It’s as green as you can get since it is powered by nature – using water or any electrolytic fluid such as fruit juice, coffee, beer or soft drinks as the power source.

$10 CHOC-U-LATOR CHOCOLATE CALCULATOR

It has been referred to as a “sadistic stocking stuffer” but actually it’s a pretty tasty gizmo at $10 with the shape of those tempting bars as well as the yummy scent. Solar powered, use this functional eye candy from Curiosite to count on the calories you are saving by not eating the real deal.

$5 L.E.D NIGHT LIGHT

This is a sweet auto light for kids who are nervous about the dark. Plug it into an electrical outlet and the L.E.D. technology produces the energy for the light. Unlike the bathroom light, a sensor on this little guy from Choose Renewables turns it off when the boogie man goes away.

$20 COUNTERTOP BAG DRYER

I’m not fond of the word nifty, but this is nifty. Crafted from sustainably harvested birch and ash woods, this gadget lets you air out your plastic bags and reuse them for lunches or storage. Who would have thunk it? Available at Gaiam.

£8.95 TUMBLER DRYER BALLS

A very friendly alternative to fabric conditioners, these yellow and green dryer balls from My Eco Store will save energy and money and are said to be ideal for anyone with asthma, eczema or psoriasis. The pair work a a team to lift and separate laundry while it is tumble drying, allowing the retention of heat so it can go towards the drying process.

$14 DIGITAL SHOWER TIMER

Whether you mount a green house or yellow duck to the shower surface, you will probably cut down on your shower use by timing yourself. It is battery operated, waterproof and steamproof and can be affixed using a suction cup on the back. The programmable countdown timer will beep when your shower time is up. Sure, you will be singing shorter songs but think of the energy savings. It’s all part of Green Living Every Day.

$20 RECYCLED PLASTIC PET COLLAR

You can personalize this cool design with the 60 elements (letters, fire hydrant, dog bone, etc.) that come with this collar which is available in both small and large sizes from Uncommon Goods.

$18 SOLAR CHARGER

One of several chargers from Solar Style, this SC017 is a great lightweight portable charger for Cell phones, MP3 Players, and some PDA’s. Charge directly to your electronic device or you can use the Polymer Battery On Board for storing your power. The purchase price includes one connector with additional ones sold separately.

$8 RECYCLED PROMO PIGGY BANK

Save your loose change for parking or a rainy day using this Epromos personalized piggy bank made from recycled materials. Includes a recessed key for the lock.

$18 DESIGN YOUR OWN SPEAKERS

From the new world of cardboard design, you can get creative with this eco-friendly kit including six colored pencils and boxes made with 70% recycled materials. They were crafted by Merkury and are available at Urban Outfitters.

$4.50 STAINLESS STEEL SINK STRAINER

This 4.5″ diameter German mesh strainer is your little composting assistant, helping to collect scraps of food that would otherwise go down the drain. Also great for catching the wedding ring that slips off while scrubbing the pots and pans!

$9.95 RECYCLED TUMBLER

Made with eCycle┞¢, a 100% recycled plastic derived from food-grade recycled polypropylene, this Aladdin to-go cup is a good way to transport your coffee and cold drinks while on the move. I found it at REI.

$15 ENGLISH RETREAD KEY CHAIN

The snap hook on this design attaches your keys to your purse or belt loop making them easy to find. The retread idea belongs to Heather English of Boulder Colorado, owner-designer of English Retreads, which produces handbags, book bags, totes, backpacks and belts from discarded truck and tractor inner tubes rescued from landfills.

$10 PEANUT BUTTER MIXER

Organic peanut butter is great any time of day (or night) but it can get as thick as molasses and is hard to stir with a plain old knife. Enter the mixer, which gets that sandwich spinning. It includes a gasket that wipes the rod as you remove it and a removable lid liner that makes for an easy clean up. From Real Goods.

$18 RECYLABLE WATERPROOF DIGITAL CAMERA

The ECO Digi Mode, sold in Japan, is able to take 3 megapixel shots, has a 2.4-inch display and a flash mechanism. Take it to the Great Reef to capture the beauty as it can be used up to a depth of 3 meters underwater and can take up to 50 pictures. It’s designed to transfer and store the images to a CD after use. As with a digital, the pictures on the camera can be deleted. Then off it goes for recycling, which allows the LCD and flash unit to be reused in the next camera.

$18.99 ECO BUTTON

The PC energy saving Eco Button device plugs into your computer or laptop and lights up as a visual message to use it. When you push the button, your computer goes into Eco-Mode, drawing the least amount of energy possible. Hit a key on your keypad and return back to where you left off.

$16.99 BAMBOO COMPUTER MOUSE

Sustainable bamboo meets modern technology in this optical mouse with a fast scroll wheel for easy navigation, from Sourcing Map.

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