Can anyone think of a single reason why different cell phone brands shouldn’t share the same power cord?

According to ArsTechnica, many of the world’s top cell phone makers have agreed to use a standardized cell phone charger - using a micro-USB connector - in the European Union. Soon, those lucky Europeans won’t have to scramble madly to find the right cord for their phones. They’ll be able to buy new phones and have extra cords laying around the house. They’ll be able to visit friends, knowing that extra power for their depleted phones is there for the asking.

European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen said during a press conference today that the mobile phone market in Europe alone is responsible for thousands of tons of waste each year as phones are upgraded and old ones are discarded on a short life cycle.

“In the European Union market alone, there are about 185 million new mobile phones a year,” Verheugen said. “We’re talking about a very short life cycle. Worse than that, if you’ve got different phones, it’s always a problem of making sure you’ve got the right charger.” He held up a mass of different chargers to illustrate his point. The standard should go into effect by the middle of next year, with new phones being provided with a charger that conforms to the standard. Eventually, phones are expected to be offered without a charger, ultimately reducing waste and hassle for the end user.

The question we really care about: How long before the same thing happens in this country? I’m pretty sure I have a drawer somewhere filled with useless power cords that will eventually just be tossed in the trash.