Elica Girandole: A New Way to Think About Light
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 11.26.06
When it comes to greening your life, you usually must think along two paths: technology and behavior. Elica has created a unique table lamp where the two meet. The Girandole light is turned on and off by blowing on the small propeller fitted on the light's globe. Instead of a lazy and mindless flip of a switch, a concerted and unaccustomed effort is called for: one which will certainly give pause for deliberation, for thankfulness for the pleasure of electrical lighting and a thought for the power source which takes over after your own wind-power activates the lamp.
And a pleasure this lamp must be. The lamp comes supplied with a 7W megaman energy saving lamp. A 9W version is also available for brighter light. Making it easy for consumers to avoid the complaint of harshness often associated with the older generation of energy saving lightbulbs, Elica offers a selection between Coolwhite, Daylight and Warmwhite light (complements of the megaman bulb selection).
It is turned on by blowing on the propeller until a purple LED, regulated for dim light, is visible. This LED indicates that the light will turn on shortly, preventing the user from blowing during the several seconds it takes for the low-energy light source to glow. Several more seconds are required before the light comes to its full brightness, which is typical of the low energy bulbs. The LED actually serves a second purpose: it glows continuously at very low power, helping to see the light when entering the room in the dark.
The globe can be turned independently of the three-legged stand, which eases using the switch. The light is built to be easily disassembled for recycling--although the designers intend that the need for recycling will be a long time in the future. According the the designers: "In any case the best way to respect the environment is to build a long lasting object that can give the pleasure of use for a long time, and Elica is built to be very robust." Elica also claims credit for the lead-free circuitry, but that is now legally required in the EU for all consumer electrical devices.
The lamp costs €150 and can be purchased over lnternet from Elica in Milan, Italy or by phone number found on the internet site.
Very innovative indeed. I have a feeling the inventor is a yoga practitioner for he certainly knows that the breath connects the physical body with the mind :)
Who would buy this except someone who was already an environmentalist? If they want to change someone's mind about saving energy, I suggest designing a lamp that costs 15 euros instead of 150.
It occurs to me that this otherwise novelty-style light might be very useful to paraplegics who don't have the use of their hands to flip a switch. The "propellor" could be adapted to other appliances as well for use by the handicapped.