How about adding a filter to badges page? Most of the stack overflow users will take a sneak at this page many times when his/her reputation starts growing. Its just a place for virtual satisfaction. This is similar to achieving points in video games, only in stack overflow, the badges and reputation means "knowledge". If you get addicted to it, the side effect you're gonna acquire is knowledge.
Enough for the build up. Why not add a filter to the badges page to show "only" bronze, silver, gold badge OR have a sort by badge feature. This can be done without occupying any extra space in the site at all. There is already this legend on the right side describing about badges. When user clicks now, nothing happens, instead append the filtering logic of the badges there?
Its a pure suggestion, nothing else.