Not a bird, not a fruit, but Kiwi to the rescue
Can technology save the environment? The makers of the new Kiwi think it can, and are claiming that their new plug and play device will lower the average commuter's carbon footprint and save money — all while delivering common-sense, gas-saving advice in an interactive format that today's video-playing, technology-loving drivers are sure to embrace.According to the company, the Kiwi installs into any 1996 and newer vehicle (including hybrids) through the car's existing OBDII port. The device then tracks four key elements of a driver's behavior behind the wheel — including smoothness, drag, acceleration and deceleration. The Kiwi also displays how many gallons of gas are used during each trip and calculates savings as the driving habits of a car's owner improve.
Initial PR for the Kiwi claims that it can reduce a vehicle's carbon output by two tons per year, the equivalent of changing 500 traditional light bulbs over to CFL bulbs or planting 80 trees. Hmmm...tracking your driving habits from the comfort of your climate-controlled vehicle, or laboring away in the hot sun to plant those 80 trees? Sounds like Kiwi's manufacturers have come up with a solution that will allow computer geeks with a brown thumb to participate in the tree-hugging movement after all.
