Written on December 1, 2008 – 7:05 pm | by Maria Mihale |


Assuming our eco-friendly attitude in front of the people seems to be the latest trend nowadays, even if, deep down our souls, we don’t really give a damn on the environment. Treehuggers would say that, after all, it doesn’t matter whether you’re truly into this issue or not, but let’s face it, when your actions are based on strong beliefs, there’s nothing to stay in your way.

Saving electricity is good and I agree. But when it comes to energy consumption, we’re all a little bit indifferent. The only moment when we become conscious about it is when we have to pay for what we’ve consumed. The electric bill is what scares the hell out of us.



So, just in case you need some help in order to monitor the electricity consumption, this high-tech flower might be the perfect solution for you. Created by the British designer Carl Smith, this prototype design, dubbed the Wilting Flower, is a fake plant placed in a vase that is meant to let you know when your energy use is too high. What does it do? It wilts, in rainbow-hued LED lights.

Therefore, you can call this device a visual reminder of how much energy you’re wasting on a regular basis. The best thing about it is that when you’re not using an exaggerated amount of energy, the flower has its petals open, letting you know you’re doing it right.

But how does it work? There’s a wireless transmitter clipped to the main electricity source which keeps an eye on the information you need. Then, according to the amount of electricity used, the flower changes its color, from blue, to yellow, and then to red, the final phase, when the lights go down.



“The flower rewards people for consuming low amounts of energy by standing tall, bright and open and punishes users by closing up, wilting and dying. Other products typically display energy use on a small LCD unit which is not very attractive and can be hard to interpret”, said the designer. On the other hand, he puts his hopes on people becoming fond of their flowers and trying to keep them in a good shape.

Unfortunately for environmentalists, the Wilting Flower is in its concept phase, but we’re sure hoping that the prototype will hit the mass production in the near future. Still, it’s expected to be purchased for approximately $90, if it goes on sale.

(Source: Dvice)