Glowing guilt

 We'd all like to be more energy-efficient. But most of us have no sense of their energy usage until they receive their monthly utility bill. And by the time you get your electrical bill at the end of each month, it’s too late.

What if you knew from the moment you plugged in your cell phone charger or turned on your PC how much energy you’re using right then, at that very moment? Maybe if you could actually see how much energy you're using, you wouldn't leave that PC running all night. That’s the idea that inspired the Power Aware Cord. This object indicates how much energy an appliance is consuming through glowing pulses and intensity of light. These lights speed up or slow down depending on the amount of energy being used. Since the current use of electricity isn’t hidden, users can see how a TV, for example, still sucks energy as long as it’s plugged in, without us noticing. Another example is the mobile phone charger, that is an energy thief that is easy to forget.

It’s a different approach to sustainable design, one that’s not rooted in materials but in changing behaviour. Think about it! How can you use less energy if you don’t know how much energy you’re using? Are you ready to accept the confrontation with your monthly electrical bill? Try it out!

Stephanie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG88n3Yk6qA