Many of us gave toys or electronics devices as gifts this holiday season that run on battery power. Our New Year's Resolutions should include buying rechargeable batteries, including new products that last longer and are more convenient to recharge.

Rayovac will soon sell new rechargeable batteries that don't cost much more than disposables and can hold their power for longer, according to the Associated Press. Sanyo and North American Battery Company also have rechargeable batteries that will pay for themselves within a year. In the U.K., Moxia Energy has developed a battery that can be recharged through a laptop's USB port, making it a snap to keep the power flowing to your digital camera.

Yes, it is a pain to wait to recharge batteries, but a little advanced planning and buying an extra set can eliminate that inconvenience. Disposable batteries not only cost more in the long run, but they also take extra energy to produce and almost always wind up in landfills, where they can eventually leech led, cadmium and mercury. New York and the U.K. have passed laws requiring recycling, and hopefully more governments will follow suit.