MAY 15

We all want to be good to the environment. Unfortunately, mother earth never gives us 'the look' that most mother's have perfected. So it's hard to know when we're not treating her right. Designer Ben Arent had this very problem in mind when creating the idea of the EnergyTree.

The EnergyTree is an eco bonsai of sorts, take care of the planet and it will thrive. Using a real tree in conjunction with water, poison and nutrient reserves plus a solar panel to power the device, the EnergyTree survives depending on the energy use of the owner. If the owner uses energy wisely and efficiently, nutrients and water will be dispersed, but when the owner wastes energy, poison will be introduced to the tree and water and nutrients will be held back.

Arent imagines that the tree can either monitor household usage or individual devices and can even wirelessly connect to recycling centers as a way to give "extra green points" that is put towards the system's calculation of giving water and nutrients.

If every family could get their hands on something as neat as this, I'm sure we'd have a whole new generation of EcoGeeks.

Via Yanko Design and TrendHunter

Comments (6)

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Disturbing?
written by Ashley L., May 16, 2007

Just like when someone is confronted with the need to kill a chicken with their bare hands and suddenly finds the urge to switch to being a vegetarian -- the idea of poisoning a little bonsai tree makes me want to unplug my entire house. I'm the sort of sucker that thought my stuffed animals had feelings and cried when my betta died (despite my best efforts) -- so I wonder how many other people would feel similarly affected by the fate of the bonsai?

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Thanks but....
written by Mark R., May 16, 2007

As a long time reader, first time commenter. I like your site, its awesome. There are some very cool and environmentally positive tools/technologies that you are helping the public become aware of and some I would love to have personally and get Geeked out on.
However, the energy tree? No Thanks. If it breathes out Oxygen, is green and requires dirt fertilizer etc. and I can't plant it in the ground so that it will live on its own without my regular intervention, I don't want it. While I love green technology, I don't have and don't want a green thumb. Lets just say 15+ years of hauling a 80+ lb tropical tree along with a plethora of weather sensitive plants in and out of the house for my parents multiple times a year cured me from ever wanting to take care of any potted plants. I'd probably kill it on purpose. ;D

Sorry Ashley, I'm just not feeling it. :-
haven't killed any chickens, but I do hunt and fish (not for trophies but for food and population control.)

Again Love the site! Keep up the good work.

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Sick!!
written by rob, May 16, 2007

While I'm keen on eco issues, I don't think that treating a tree like a toy and killing it for no good reason, is a good way to promote green living.

If someone did what that site suggests to a rabbit, they would be locked up, just because it's a tree, doesn't mean that it's not a living thing.

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Stupid Designers wanna ca$h in with clim
written by Gas Zappers, May 16, 2007

How much energy is being wasted to create this useless piece of crap?

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Useless shit
written by What?, May 19, 2007

Idiot's crap

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Waste
written by Celia, June 21, 2007

It sounds like it's well thought out. It could be a great teaching tool for kids. Otherwise, the sort of household that do the most wasting, will do the most killing of trees.

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