In Search of a Greener Gadget

As concerns about the environment mount, technology companies large and small are responding to the call for greener electronics.

Panasonic's new plasma televisions, Toshiba's Portege R600, Tremont Electric's nPowerPEG and Green Plug's adapter (clockwise from left) were a few of the greener gadgets showcased at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.

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At this year's annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, more exhibitors than ever before displayed environmentally-friendly products. Although hard numbers are not available, CES organizer Tim Herbert, senior director of research for the Consumer Electronics Association, estimated that the number of green products and services had increased tenfold over last year.

He pointed to the new Motorala Moto W233 Renew phone, made from recycled plastic bottles, and a new routing service, EcoRoute, from GPS company Garmin, that plots directions for the most fuel-efficient course, as two of many devices targeting eco-minded consumers.

Although some confusion exists about what "green" actually means, Herbert's research indicates that most consumers believe companies should do more to protect the environment.

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ABCNews.com walked the floor at CES to see what's new in green technology. Here's a sampling of what we found:

NPower Peg

Launched at CES by Cleveland-based Tremont Electric LLC, nPower PEG (or personal energy generator) is a novel product that uses human energy to power mobile devices, such as cell phones and mp3 players. "It harvests your human kinetic energy -- your up and down walking motion," inventor Aaron LeMieux said. "With that we're able to charge your mobile electronic devices."

LeMieux, an engineer, came up with the idea when he hiked the 1,500-mile Appalachian Trail about a decade ago.

"I wanted a device that I could take and just throw in my backpack and be able to walk along," he said.

The device -- a closed, aluminum tube about 1-foot-long and an inch in diameter -- can generate power in a way that replicates a wall outlet. If it takes 15 minutes to charge your cell phone to a certain point, LeMieux said it would take 15 minutes of walking to create the same amount of power.

When you're walking, hiking or biking, the stick can generate energy. But it also works on the subway or bus. In an emergency, you could even shake it.

The nPower peg isn't on the market yet, but LeMieux expects to price it at $149 when it becomes available.