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Mon, 24 Nov 2008 Onion-powered iPod a hit with environmentalists

Onion and energy drinks power green iPod

Macworld staff

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An environmentally conscious iPod user has used an onion and energy drink mixture to power his iPod, reports the Metro newspaper.

Owen Louis, 21, dug two holes into an onion, poured in the energy drink and then placed his USB cable in to charge his iPod.

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“I was watching TV with my laptop on and my iPod playing and thought, "How much electricity must I be using? A friend showed me the experiment as a laugh but I thought it was the greatest thing I have ever seen, and do it religiously every day,” Owen said.

The environmentally conscious iPod user from Portsmouth claims the unusual charging method is green, because the onion will decompose and the energy drink bottle recycled.

Phil Stubbles, a physics lecturer from St Vincent College in Gosport, Hampshire quoted by the Metro said almost all vegetables could power iPods because they contain ions which react with energy drinks to create a charge.

'The only problem is you have no control over how long it may work for ... and it can be smelly,' he added.

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Comments received


ajhoughton said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

The irony is that this isn't necessarily at all environmentally friendly. People assume it is because it involves a plant and a drink, but that's pure supposition. It depends on the reaction that's occurring and also on how he disposes of the onion afterwards.

MacWorld Reader said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

It's just a human interest story, as ajhoughton says there is no way this is environmentally friendly (or even wallet friendly) even when you push aside the chemical reaction that takes place - because there is all the energy that goes into making the drink and its packaging, the transportation of the onion - I'm sure they're not home grown - and the energy/pollution involved in recycling/disposal of the items. All this for one measly hour of playback - and it probably shortens the life of your iPod battery, which gives you something else to get rid of as well.

Irony said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

@ 'ajhoughton' and 'MacWorld Reader' I think you're missing the point here or looking too deeply into it. Do you not find it great that you can power an iPod from an onion and energy drink?

Another Reader said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

Why didn't he use an Apple :)

Haku said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

I tried this, and it moved me to tears. I had no idea it would affect me so much!

The boy Ken said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

@ ajhoughton / MacWorld Reader: How do you know his wasn't a rechargeable onion?

Will Woodhouse said on Mon, 24 Nov 2008

Its a spoof, and now Macworld have fallen for it too :-)

jennifer said on Mon, 22 Dec 2008

why do onions and energy drink can generate electricity?

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