This gadget is essentially for those that seek to pass the buck on global warming (virtually everyone except maybe the Greenpeace activists, and of course Al Gore. Bless ’em Lord!) No frets, there still may be a chance for you to make a difference. Carbon Hero is a gadget that seeks to make individuals conscious of their carbon footprints when it comes to the kind of transport that they use.
The device
Carbon Hero is a small device which you can use as key ring. A carbon calculator, the device uses data such as user’s location, velocity and pattern of activity while he embarks on a journey. Using this data, it automatically generates the carbon emissions’ figure for the user’s transport habits.
Once generated and stored, the data is then stored on a cellphone or a PC to determine the amount of carbon emitted and credits needed to offset the same.
The designer
Carbon Hero has been designed by Andreas Zachariah. This design won him the 2007 BSI (British Standards Institute) Sustainability Design Awards. Andreas is a former investment professional. Resident of London, he is currently pursuing a degree in Industrial Design Engineering from the Royal College of Art (RCA) and is in his final year.
In an age where consumers are making purchasing decisions based on their environmental impact there’s no reason why they shouldn’t make the same choice about transport, be it public or private, on a daily basis.
Evaluation
Most of the other devices that seek to calculate user’s carbon footprints rely on self-made estimates. As such, there is always likelihood that the results are biased. While I’m not quite sure about the exact working of this device, the fact that it does not require the user to enter any data is itself a boon. Also, the climate debate is usually not extended to compare the advantages of public transport vis-a-vis the private ones. Carbon Hero will make difference herein.
So next time the decision whether you should catch a bus or fill up on your car’s tank instead, will be easier and more eco-friendly, all thanks to the Carbon Hero.
