As soon as you get into batteries, aren't you still treading into non-eco friendly waters? I suppose this is more about self-sufficiency, but you're still relying on rare metals that come from questionable sources and are excavated by the same old diesel power.
Most batteries are made to be recycled. Only a fool throws rechargeable batteries in the trash (not to mention such batteries being bad for the environment disposed of in such a manner).
There are plenty of places to recycle both lithium-chemistry and lead-acid batteries (plus any mercury containing hearing-aid and similar cells). For car batteries, you can usually trade in the old battery for the "core charge", otherwise there are places that purchase old lead acid car batteries and similar.
Virtually everything in those batteries is recycled, and usually turned into new batteries again (heck, I think they ever recycle the sulphuric acid, too).
