The global sex toy industry is worth an annual 15 billion dollars (22 billion euros), and uses up a mountain of batteries in the process, many of which end up as toxic waste.

But now one Irish company reckons they've got the solution to shake up the market: a vibrator they are calling the world's first-ever "green technology sex toy".

The Earth Angel, described as "eight inches (20 centimetres) with a sleek white finish", is a wind-up vibrator which comes with a handle built into the bottom.

"You just flip out the handle, grab a hold of it there, and you just wind it," said Janice O'Connor, the co-founder of Earth Angel makers Caden Enterprises along with her husband Chris.

"So for four minutes of doing that, you should generate enough power to give you 30 minutes of full-on, right-to-the top vibrations," she told AFP.

She added: "I've only used it a couple of times, and it's fantastic. It's very intense, and sometimes, at the top level, depending on the person that's using it, it can actually be too intense sometimes.

"That's why we have four different levels on it."

The vibrator is made of 100 percent recyclable materials and the couple hope it will encourage sex toy fans around the globe to do their bit for the environment.

"We want to change the way that people view adult toys and the adult industry as a whole," they said.

"We wanted to produce an environmentally-friendly sex toy that appealed to all consumers.

"Every industry has an obligation to do as much as they can to reduce the effects of climate change and by developing this new technology we hope that others will follow suit and look for alternative ways to design and manufacture their products."

Chris O'Connor is the brains behind the power-storing technology that he said could be applied to any small power device, such as electric toothbrushes.

He said climate change had been his primary motivation rather than sexy fun.

"When I was a child we'd have months of good weather," the inventor said.

"Now that's totally changed, 100 percent changed, in this country. And that's why I decided I'd try to make a change for the better, for the planet."

Public morality in Ireland is still traditionally Catholic, so producing the green vibrator there was out of the question - it is manufactured by a British-based company - while financing it proved an obstacle course.

But the O'Connors, both practicing Catholics, believe God is on their side.

"In all fairness, wouldn't God want something that's green and that doesn't do any damage to the environment?" asked Chris.

An Earth Angel costs 70 euros (100 dollars) plus shipping costs and around 1,000 have already been sold to people seeking its special brand of "sustainable pleasure".

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