Go With the Flow A showerhead-flow sensor can provide direct feedback on your water and energy use, spurring a shorter shower. A system such as IBM's pilot project in Washington State lets a utility charge you more for hot water during peak times.
Touch That Dial Agilewaves' Resource Monitor has a touch-screen interface that is similar to a very fancy thermostat. Homeowners install a network of sensors to track usage down to individual pipes and electrical outlets; the sensors are integrated into a data system that lets you monitor usage in real time.
infographic by Jason Lee
One Person's Trash Customers log on to recyclebank.com to see how much they recycled, how many reward points their refuse is worth, and how their carbon footprint is affected. Some towns using RecycleBank have more than doubled their recycling rates by weight -- diverting waste from landfills and conserving tons of valuable raw materials.
The Tell-Tale Arm RecycleBank outfits each home in a partner city with a special recycling bin that has a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) tag embedded in it. On trash day, a robot arm on the garbage truck weighs how much material is recycled, and then an onboard computer relays that info wirelessly to RecycleBank headquarters.
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Recent Comments | 9 Total
August 21, 2009 at 12:41am by Maria Montana
I tend to see things going this way as well. I'm certain this won't stop at drug use and party behavior (which is actually a ridiculous qualifier as some of the best employees I've seen partied hard on the weekends). What happens when you're denied a job because of some political or religious views you espouse on blog that the HR person doesn't agree with? You know, the kind of information they aren't allowed to ask you in an interview setting. If it can't be asked in an interview they shouldn't be allowed to go looking for that info online. But, I guess you can always make your profiles private so only people you want to see them can.