The Greener Gadgets Conference is this Friday in New York City and your resident EcoGeeks will be there to bring you all the interesting details. Like last year, the conference includes a design competition among 50 green gadgets ideas with the winner receiving $3,000 to develop their design. Voting has closed on the website, but there will be live voting at the conference to determine the winner. I’d thought I’d highlight some of the entries with the highest votes to give you all a sense of the innovation included this year.

First up, the Power Hog. This piggy-bank-style device aims to teach children about energy cost and conservation. The tail plugs into an outlet and any electronic device like a video game console or TV, plugs into the snout. Children deposit coins into the hog, which grants them 30 minutes of use. The dollar signs on the side of the Power Hog turn green when electricity is available and flash red when the time is running out. The coins are kept inside just like a piggy bank, so children are learning about the cost of electricity and about saving money.

The Power Hog is marketed to parents who want to teach their children that electricity isn’t a free, never-ending resource as well as those who want a clever way to limit TV time. The product is made from recycled materials and is 100 percent recyclable itself.

via Greener Gadgets