Here is the problem I've had with solar lights. While they don't need to be plugged in, I've purchased multiple sets over the years and they have all died out within a matter of year whereas my plug in Malibus have been going strong for 10 years. So sure they use less electricity, but they have to be replace more often and I wonder how much that changes the equation.

Heh .. not only do solar cells degrade rapidly, but they also create a massive amount more pollution to create than they ever save .. still they do give you the warm fuzzies.

However I did hear of an organic based solar cell, which may or may not generate less pollution to create, but has the distinct advantage of becoming more and more powerful over the years rather than degrading ... this technology is still in it's infancy though :(

If you want to be truly green lay some cable and use LED based lights (think broken, recycled solar powered lights) hooked to a 12V battery which is charged by a wind turbine.

It's a shame we can hardly view the stars anymore due to people believing they must have so many lights outdoors. Very few environmentalists seem to care about the beauty of the night sky or even the fact that outdoor lighting uselessly eats up so much energy.

Not only are the cheap ones short-lived, but they have highly toxic batteries: NiCd. The Cd in that is cadmium, one of the most toxic heavy metals. More junk in landfills is bad. More heavy metals mined and dumped in landfills is really bad. It's not just a trace of Cd, like the mercury trace that used to be in alkaline batteries before that was banned, but is 3.3 g per AA battery, or about 15%.

If you must get a solar light, shop carefully for one that uses NiMH not NiCd batteries. It still might become trash, and nickel isn't great either, but it's much better than cadmium.

All of the above; Affirmative. My exact sentiments, Thank You, all of common sense. Which is becoming quite 'uncommon'.
http://daflikkers.blogspot.com/

Heh .. not only do solar cells degrade rapidly, but they also create a massive amount more pollution to create than they ever save .. still they do give you the warm fuzzies.

This message has been brought to you by... Sean Hannity.

Let me say this first.Why do i need these?I like seeing stars.Not yard lights.If i wanted to see lights.i would move to new york city.I can sit in my backyard on a chair and see stars.I do not want or need outdoor lights.I find them absurd.You go outdoors to get away from this.

The amount of AC energy that a small led bulb uses has an insignificant negative effect on the environment. If you want to really make an impact and use solar, click on my name below!

While many of us prefer the night sky. Sometimes there are safety issues consider. Like lighted pathway or fall off cliff.
We try to disguise ours with rocks a bit.
Perhaps if they made some that were motion sensing.

I agree with Anon. Way too much nighttime light pollution. The New Yorker had a great article on this about a month ago.

Heh .. not only do solar cells degrade rapidly, but they also create a massive amount more pollution to create than they ever save .. still they do give you the warm fuzzies.

Not true on either count. Properly encapsulated solar cells are typically warranteed for at least 20 years. Pollution is minimal -- most waste from PV manufacturing consists of acids and/or bases, both of which are easily neutralized (the end product being nothing more than saltwater). And it is well documented that GHG emissions per kWh produced are lower than just about every other energy technology. That's not to say there's no room for improvement, but PV manufacturers tend to be pretty conscious of recycling and the nature and quantity of waste they produce.

The problem with the lights is the shoddy construction of the stuff around the cell -- the plastic that covers them degrades rapidly, and either the batteries or the charging circuits seem not to do well when exposed to the elements.

However I did hear of an organic based solar cell, which may or may not generate less pollution to create, but has the distinct advantage of becoming more and more powerful over the years rather than degrading

Organic solar cells to date degrade rapidly and are notoriously short lived. They do have the advantage that they can be "recharged" by replenishing the liquid electrolyte they contain, but packaging that can be opened to allow replenishment tends to fare poorly when exposed to the elements for years on end. So it's a catch-22: You can extend the life of organic solar modules by replenishing the electrolyte, but to replenish the electrolyte you have to use a module design that is inherently short-lived.

If you want to really make an impact and use solar, click on my name below!

No, don't. It's more spam from Citizenre, who don't even have a product to sell (nor do they have one in sight). If you want to "make an impact and use solar" you need to do business with someone who actually has solar panels.

The solar cells don't degrade, its the batteries. In theory it shouldn't be hard to open them up and replace the batteries with some high capacity nimh rechargeables. Most electronic parts stores online sell tabbed ones you can solder in place, for example:
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item/NMH-110T/160200/NIMH_AA_CELL_W__SOLDER_TABS_.html

Yes, you can open them up and take out the NiCds and replace them with NiMH, but then you've got toxic waste to dispose of. Much better to find ones that have NiMH to begin with, and avoid supporting an industry that makes throw-away toxic stuff.

Generally solar garden lights are pretty low power, so they aren't nearly as bad as a typical porch light as far as light pollution. And yes, there is some toxic stuff involved in making the solar cells, etc. but that's tiny compared to the big lump of toxic heavy metal that is needed to make a NiCd battery.

batteries: Rechargeable batteries only last a certain number of charge/discharge cycles. And these will be going through a complete cycle every day. So yes, you will have to replace the batteries every two years or so. NiMH are much better than NiCad, but both NiMH and NiCad need to be disposed of properly. Many retailers have battery recycling programs. Note that in California it is _illegal_ to throw them in the trash.

light pollution: Most of these are walkway lights, which are designed to send the light downwards onto a walkway. Also, the LEDs are not very bright. So I don't think they're a very big source of light pollution. Certainly much better than streetlights or those big halogen bulbs that some people have on the sides of their houses (ugh!).

My backyard is very dark at night if the moon is not out. Having a few of these lining the path out to the clothesline is much more convenient than having to use a flashlight. (You try using a flashlight when carrying laundry!) The lights are especially useful for my 84-year-old grandparents, who used to be unable to go out in the backyard at all before I installed solar lights.

I don't likle these lights either, mainly due to the battery issues as others have mentioned.
Even replacing the nicad with nimh doesn't help much since nimh are not as tolderant of the simple charge like the nicad's are.

Ok. I've seen solar torch lights. I have seen solar lights that stake into the ground. But www.getwithgreen.com just did an article on these lights that set in the ground like bricks or pavers... Very cool, and an amazing life-expectancy and warranty. I think the article was under their solar section.