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Working Out for the Planet
There are good kinds of energy use and there are bad. No one is questioning the health benefits of working out at the gym, but rarely does one think about the energy costs of running one. Those elliptical machines you’re using and televisions keeping you entertained? They're sucking up far more energy than if you, say, ran in your neighborhood or went biking, but one gym is trying to change all that.
The Green Microgym, in Portland, OR (no surprise it’s there!) wants you to do all the work! Gym members are actually helping to power the place through exercise! For instance, cycling on a stationary bike produces power that is then stored and later converted into electricity. It’s nowhere near providing 100% of the power, but it sure is a start. Just imagine if you and the gym could have a give-and-take symbiotic relationship like Green Microgym is aiming for!
What do you think about going green while at the gym? Do you consider the energy output necessary to run your workout?
I bike!!! 0 energy output other than my own and other than a little repair here and there, which my friend does for free, there's minimal expenses involved. Even if I worked out in the above kind of gym, I get bored just being inside a fluorescent lit place. I guess that's where podcasts come in...
What a wonderful idea! I wish my gym did that. Speaking of going green while exercising, I try to keep my workouts mixed up so that way I don't spend all my workouts at my energy-eating gym. I run outside along the beach about three times a week, and the other three days I go to gym classes for weight training and yoga or Pilates.
I wish this was in my house. I looked at my power bill this month and it's almost $180!!!!!!! PLEASE SOMEONE tell me how I can get one of these bikes or ellipticals in my home!
Five years ago I bought a "manual" treadmill, although at the time I was more concerned with the cost of maintenance &/or repair of the motorized ones. Now I'm glad I did!!
I LOVE this idea. I was reading not too long ago about this technology that will let you power your phone with some fancy footwork if your battery dies. Pretty neat idea. Why not take advantage of all that energy.
Now, if they could only figure out something useful to do with all that sweat. Ew.