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Exciting Ideas

Edgy MD
Jul 08 2013 07:29 AM

Twenty or more years ago, I was waiting for my sister in a downtown bar. A guy started chatting me up. I don't know if he was looking to make with me, because I'm notoriously slow in picking up awkward situations like that. But I asked him what he did, and it turned out he was a gym manager. I must've had a rare drink or two in me, because I told him my big idea. "Every time somebody bench-presses 200 pounds," I told him, "that's potential energy! Every time somebody stationary-bikes a mile, that's potential energy! Harness that shit! You'd at least get enough to power your gym, right? (I had no idea if it was true.) You could keep the lights on without drawing from the grid, and maybe offset some of the air conditioning too."

The guy looked at me like I three heads, and quickly ended the conversation, and I felt as dumb as students of the liberal arts often do when they stray into matters technical.

Then along comes this president-correcting chick, and I feel like a genius who missed the boat.

Ceetar
Jul 08 2013 07:38 AM
Re: Exciting Ideas

saw a Google Reader article about that a couple of years ago(was it you?)

They are making strides looks like

[url]http://www.thegreenmicrogym.com/

Rockin' Doc
Jul 11 2013 09:50 PM
Re: Exciting Ideas

While watching a callege basketball game a few years ago, I saw a short report about how the Kansas University student gym and athletic facilities use the stationary bikes, treadmills, stairclimbers, and elliptical machines to generate electricity to provide energy for several buildings on the campus. It's a great idea and it doesn't seem like it would be too difficult for a busy facility to generate a significant amount of electricity during the course of the day.

Edgy MD
Jul 12 2013 07:43 AM
Re: Exciting Ideas

How many parents would buy a flatscreen TV that was wired through a stationary bike to force their chunky layabout tweenagers to pedal in order to watch their Pretty Little Liars?

How many parents would regret that choice in about two hours?