AT&T's Zero Charger will save the world and help trees to grow. Just kidding, but that's just what the promo shot of the new cellphone charger would have you believe. The charger is a significant announcement though, as it solves an environmental problem most people don't know exists: Vampire draw.

Vampire draw is the trickle of power that a charger pulls when left in the wall, even if there is no device plugged in. While small, if you add up all the chargers in the world, the numbers quickly get big. AT&T's new Zero Charger fixes this by switching itself off completely as soon as the phone is fully charged. This would be great for my dad who inexplicably leaves his cellphones plugged in all the time except when he leaves the house.

The Zero Charger is in fact a USB charger, so it's good for iPods and other devices, too. It should really come with every one of AT&T's cellphones, but it appears that you'll have to buy one (big surprise. Thanks AT&T). Given that anyone savvy enough to buy the Zero Charger is also likely to already unplug their chargers, it seems more like a rather pointless PR exercise.

Save Your Planet AT&T ZERO Charger – Coming Soon! [AT&T via DVICE]