That Power Cord Nightmare Under Your Desk Could be Worth Lunch with Chris Knight and Adrianne Curry

deborah — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

If you're like many Americans, you have a jumble of power cords under your desk. (Mine is hidden behind a large piece of cardboard.) That might be a good thing. Green Plug, a developer of digital technology enabling real time collaboration between electronic devices and their power sources, is having a "What's Under Your Desk?" contest. That's right, what's coming out from behind your desk will no longer be a secret after you submit your photograph for consideration.

“Consider this a case of show and tell,” said Green Plug CEO Frank Paniagua, Jr. “We’re looking for examples of a problem that plagues each and every one of us -- that unsightly tangle of wires, black bricks and wall warts that supply your computer, printer, phone, desk lamp… and who knows what else. Just multiply what’s at your feet by millions – that’s how it is that a staggering 379 million discarded and obsolete external power supplies are destined to end up in U.S. landfills this year alone.”

This contest is a great way to show the magnitude of this issue. We have all these power cords and extension cords - eventually all this junk is going to end up being dumped somewhere. Why not work out a way to consolidate or eliminate many of these products?

From the press release:

The sweepstakes highlights the need for a single, universal power architecture for electronic devices. Such a standard could prevent hundreds of millions of power supplies every year from being tossed into landfills – maximizing resources, minimizing solid waste, and conserving energy.

Oh and there's a prize too. First prize is lunch in Beverly Hills with reality television stars and green people Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry. Second prize is a $500 gift certificate for Walmart and third place will donate $250 to your favorite green organization. Nice.

To enter, take a picture of what's under your desk and submit it to the Green Plug blog and don't forget a caption! The winner will be announced April 22, that's right, Earth Day.

Image: PR Photos