The system consists of a mirror surrounded by light bulbs with a control panel that allows you to explore different energy activities. Your energy footprint is shown through the number of bulbs left on, and the reflection in the mirror becomes clearer as your carbon footprint becomes smaller.

Understanding our energy use and carbon footprint is vitally important in the light of current scientific thinking; it is widely believed that by 2050 global temperature rise should not be allowed to go above 2 degrees Centigrade. In the UK this means we must reduce our carbon footprint by around 90%.

With this system you can dynamically compare both energy use and supply; with the aim to find out if it is possible to drastically lower your carbon footprint. The code behind the installation will be adapted to reach a larger audience on the Internet, with an invitation for scientific peer review and a forum for debate about our energy future.