New green technologies spring up every day, and every one of them holds a promise that tomorrow will be a little brighter and a little cleaner. From photovoltaic paint that will generate power without panels to solar bike paths and sidewalks that will power our communities without taking up space, we are living in the world of tomorrow.
Or some of us are, at least. With those in the first world trying to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce our resource consumption, it’s easy to forget that there are roughly 3 billion people in the world who live without reliable electricity. Fortunately, though, with technology that exists today, it’s possible to skip power plants and electric grids and to provide those who need real solutions with ways to generate their own electricity right now.
This is where the Free Electric stationary bike comes into the picture, and what it can say about technology combined with corporate social responsibility.
What is The “Free Electric”?
According to Cyber War Zone, the Free Electric is a stationary bike whose purpose is to convert human energy into electricity. If you can get on the Free Electric for an hour, then the amount of electricity you produce could power your home for 24 hours, assuming you have the bare minimum of electricity needs. Lights, charging your cell phone, and possibly running a small, laptop computer and router could all be done with the energy produced by a decent workout.
What Could Happen if This Technology Spreads?
If this technology makes its way into energy-deficient communities who have to depend on spotty service, the Free Electric could provide a huge advantage for those at the mercy of unreliable grids. As its inventor says, energy is one of the biggest equalizers in the world, because with electricity people live longer, and they can gain access to more than they had before. Everything from keeping communication lines open, to joining the global network of the Internet, is made possible by providing a steady source of power.
However, the Free Electric has the potential to change more than just the way power works in the third world. It could also work to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, and stabilize power generation, in the first world.
How? Well, think about all the health clubs and gyms out there right now. Thousands of them, all across America alone. Now imagine all the stationary bikes, and all the calories people are burning by riding them. That is a huge potential for power generation, and if nothing else it would greatly reduce the amount of electricity used by these facilities. In a best-case scenario, though, health clubs could become green power generation facilities, and members would see their monthly fees go down based on how much they worked out.
That’s not just a theory, either. The Eco Gym already exists, and if the notion spreads it could mean big changes for where our energy comes from.
In addition to the possibility of killing the two birds of obesity and a lack of green energy with the same stone, inventions like the Free Electric could also help people who find themselves in a crisis situation, or who want to live off the grid. Whether it’s a natural disaster, or simply being housebound during a storm, if the power goes out then that can be a scary, and expensive, event. The ability to hop on a stationary bike in order to keep the fridge going, to keep your phone charged, or to watch the news and get updates on emergency efforts could make a lot of difference when all is said and done.
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