We've just found a cool gadget that shows you exactly how much electricity you're using in your home. It's called the Eco-eye, and it has a big, clear screen that displays how much power you're using (in Kilowatts) and what the cost is per hour, day, week, month or year.
It can also display the carbon emissions caused by your energy consumption (yikes), which we think is great because it reminds you that household gadgets equal greenhouse gasses -- turn on the TV and you're creating more; remember to switch off unneeded lights and you're using less.
"Once you see where your electricity is being wasted, you will realise there are so many simple changes you can make to your lifestyle which will help the planet and save you money," says Eco-eye.
Gadgets like this can be a great educational tool, and give you something to work towards. With our busy modern lives it's difficult to cut down on power use, especially when the results are impossible to see. So using something like this, or the Wattson, really helps you get to grips with the impact of your actions -- an important step, as half of all CO2 emissions in the UK are created by households.
The gadget comes in two parts: it has a small sensor that you fit to your electricity meter, and that sends power usage information back to the main screen unit for display. It can run either on batteries -- remember to use rechargeables -- or on an AC adapter. It's also built in the UK, so it hasn't been shipped from the other side of the world, a super plus for us greenies.
The company is also working on a smaller and cheaper version called the Eco-eye mini, which it is hoping to sell to businesses in large orders (no surprise that they’re trying to attract energy companies). Eco-eye claims that high volume orders of the mini will sell for around £20. There's no word yet on pricing for the standard Eco-eye, but it should be out at the end of January, so keep your eyes peeled.
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