Portland's Green Gym Harnesses Human Energy
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While it may not appear to be so - Thanks to all the equipment and television screens, not to mention the bright lights, constant air-conditioning or heating, gyms are big energy users - A little ironic when you consider how much energy people expand whilst working out. Though there has been some sporadic attempts to harness the energy, nobody has taken it to the level of Portland-based Green Microgym.
The gym, whose mission is to help people not only look good, but also do good whilst exercising, is equipped with specially configured exercise bicycles that captures the energy created while pedaling and channels it to outlets which power other equpment in the gym.
The 3,000 sq.ft. facility does not give its 200 plus members any discounts for the energy they help generate, but they do give out bragging rights in the form of green cards, which, depending on the watts of energy generated, helps members earn gift cards from local merchants.
The gym estimates that an average workout generates about 37.5 watt hours just enough, to power a phone for a week. Despite all the energy generated by its members and additional green energy captured by the Solar Panels that line its roof, the gym is not completely carbon neutral, which means it still depends on conventional electricity. But, according to the owner, if all the equipment inside the gym is used at the same time, it can generate 10 times the energy needed to run the entire facility, at that given moment.
As Green Microgym gets ready to open its second location, many other gyms in America are following it's lead by installing machines that harness the human energy that gets generated vigorously inside their premises every day.
Sources: Treehugger.com, Inhabitat.com
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111 Comments
- mauriceover 11 yearsI think that is an interesting thing. I wonder how they figured out how to harness human energy? That must of taken a while to figure out. Another reason i think that's interesting is because i think that it would be a motivator for larger people because if they want to watch TV they will have to work out. They should figure out how to do that with cars so you wont have too use that much gas.
pegasusover 11 yearsThis is a good article about energy.- Lilly Montanaover 11 yearsThis should happen to many other gyms because most gyms use energy from power plants. Not many use the energy their members use. They have to use solar for like the air conditioning and lights. It would be cool if they had these types of gyms where i live. The Green Micro Gym place is really smart for doing this idea. It's good that their going to open up a new place.
- tmanover 11 yearsif this was practical which it isn't this idea is as good as walking 100 miles barefoot. the idea states that people work for there for power so when the place closes it has no running power. this could cause radical heat change within the complex and some security guards to pass out due to dehydration and the extreme temperature of the complex. the owners also strip the exerciser of there free rights in america. we have the right to not pedal on a thing all day so they could power stuff the idea is unconventional and crude i mean man power is an horrible way of powering a complex and doing other unconventional things to power items it also undermines the studies of Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin and Winston Churchill.
- Macyover 11 yearsI think this is interesting. It is amazing how we can figure out how to power something with something else. This is also cool because it motivates the person to work out more and longer. The only thing i don't like is how you can be helping your body but hurting your brain. My favorite part is how i can watch my favorite show without my mom nagging me to get exercise.
pinkbatmanover 11 yearscool
- Ariannah Wover 11 yearsThis is a very good way to exercise. Also a good way to save energy. I hope more gyms do this. It is very good for the environment! I wonder who thought of this and why? It will encourage people to exercise and help the planet. Maybe this will make people want to go to the gym.
- joeboover 11 yearsthis is crazy what if the could store up the energy and power the whole building, or can they already do that?
- Abby!!!!!!!!!!!over 11 yearsI think this idea is kind of... COOL! It gives you a great work out but still, you can watch TV at the same time!!! Now how cool is that. This idea spectacularly MARVELOUS! But my question is, is what are they going to pay for this great idea and are they going to want to pay it?
- Aryanna L.over 11 yearsThey are very creative. First, it would be a good idea to make people push themselves if they wanted to charge there phone or listen to music. They could also power a television if they worked in a group. Next, it would be cool to see how much energy you could make to power a TV or phone. it would be nice to see other people help the environment. Then, it would make the bigger people who just sit around go to the gym to watch TV and exercise. Maybe then there won't be as many over weighted people. That's why i think it is very creative.
- Kenanover 11 yearsI think this is a smart idea.so if couch potatoes can get up and go to this gym. they can earn there TV. by the right amount of exercise..
