Are your earbuds and headphones just not cutting it anymore for you and your rock-outs? Instead of at least twenty bucks on a decent set of speakers, consider making your own using the materials you probably already have around your house. Read here to find a variety of ideas for constructing your own speakers that will use less energy than speakers purchased from a big box store and will still sound great! We even have some options for those of you who aren’t DIYers ☺
BENEFITS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: Less waste going to landfills and no new resources necessary!
COSTS: Variable… low or none!
TIME AND EFFORT: Minimal
Make Speakers from Disposable Cups
Have any cups lying around left over from a party last weekend? Also have any extra ratty old stock earbuds that came with your digital audio player? Together they can become great eco-friendly speakers!1 These speakers work simply by amplifying the sound your earbuds make, creating a louder and crisper sound.
Instructions:
- Gather 2 or 4 plastic cups, 2 toothpicks, and a pair of old earbuds.
- Using a sharp object, poke a hole at the base of 2 cups, large enough to push an earbud into each cup.
- If you decide to use 4 cups, flip the 2 remaining cups over opening face side down. Connect these cups with the toothpicks by poking them through the base of the structures.
- Place the 2 ‘earbud cups’ on top of the base cups.
- Plug the speakers into your digital audio player! You know have a simple set of economical and eco-friendly speakers!
Scratch Paper Speakers
Don’t have any plastic cups hanging around because you only use reusable drinkware? Do you have thicker sheets of paper in your recycling bin, some tape, and a bit of creativity? Or just some paper cups? By using the same amplifying concept from the plastic cup speakers, you can experiment with different shapes to produce the best sound or simply imitate the shape of the cups and you have yourself a decent set of speakers!
Instructions:
- Gather the paper, tape, scissors, and your creative thinking hat.
- Try folding and rolling the paper into various shapes, then tape them up into your chosen shape.
- Poke holes for the earbuds to go through.
- Voila! A new set of speakers.
To make more durable speakers follow the steps above, except apply clay and make ceramic speakers for extra amplification!5
Turn the Packaging your Digital Audio Player came with into Speakers!
The packaging your audio player arrived in can also be altered to be made into speakers also, either by using the amplifying methods explained in the cup and paper speaker guides above, or by purchasing the Bird-Electron iPod Recycling Speaker. The Bird-Electron speaker does not require any power source outside of being plugged into your iPod or MP3 player, and it does NOT have to be used with an iPod box—any small container, for example a water bottle, will do the job!7
Don’t Feel Like Creating Your Own Speakers from Scratch?
Or maybe you’d prefer higher quality sounding speakers with actual speakers instead of an amplifier? You can also purchase do it yourself kits instead of the Logitech or Creative brand speakers. There are do it yourself eco speakers made by EcoNation and sold in Urban Outfitters stores, which come with everything you need to build your own speakers and some color pencils to help you decorate them! Most of the body is made from recycled cardboard so you can also dispose of them in your recycling bin when you move on, which is more environmentally friendly than sending it to a landfill.9
Not feeling creative?
Other companies also create speakers created from recycled materials which are great for the environment. The speakers are also foldable and do not use any batteries, so just plug them into your digital audio player! TIME Magazine chose the foldable speaker for their top 50 best inventions of 2009!11
New Eco-Conscious Speaker Technology
A research institute in Taiwan has sent a new ultrathin flexible speaker, composed mostly of paper, into production and it should be released into the market by the end of 2010. The fleXpeaker is created from paper and metal filled with an electroactive polymer that changes shape according to an audio signal’s electric field.15 The speakers of course consume less energy than regular speakers, but without sacrificing performance quality!
More ultrathin speakers created from nanotubes may be coming in the next decade as well, according to the Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Center.17
Other Fun Eco-Friendly Speakers
Pekka Salokannel’s Gramo Speaker Solar Powered:
These speakers run on three layers of photovoltaic panels which run on solar power. They are small and portable, utilizing a cone-shaped folding design.
Gourd Speakers:
These speakers are created from natural real gourds with a natural wax finish. They are $1200 a pair designed by David Ellis.
So whether you are looking to make your own or buy from a store, there are many eco-friendly speak options to be found!
