Yesterday, I reached out to NordicTrack about green energy. I figured they would be the most promising of the three exercise equipment companies. How do you define that feeling you get about a company, that sense that they are forward-thinking and still bound by values? That's a precious commodity for a corporation.
The only way they left open for contact that wasn't about complaints was through Facebook, so I sent them a message:
Have you ever considered setting up your machines to harness the power the person puts into it, charge a battery, put energy back onto the grid? It would redefine the word 'powerhouse.'
They sent me a reply:
Thanks for reaching out. Is there something I can assist you with regarding your NordicTrack equipment?
I tried again:
I would like to know if any of your equipment is set up to provide green energy.
They wrote:
Just so I am understanding you correctly. You are wanting to know if you can charge your own unit instead of plugging it into a wall.
I wrote:
No. I want to know if I can harness the energy I produce while I'm exercising for use elsewhere.
There seemed to be a disconnect in our communications.
When I think about one machine and one person charging one battery, the whole thing sounds a little ridiculous, doesn't it? Phil Stewart says that a fit person cycling can generate about 240 watts per hour. That's enough to run your desktop monitor and your laptop, but not enough to run your refrigerator while you're exercising.
But put it into perspective by picturing your average gym at 6pm. If five guys spin on cycles, three run on treadmills, a couple on ellipticals, and at least one lifts at a weight machine, that's a whole lot of energy output, a lot of flywheels flying. And what about those spinning classes? Could a gym go green just by collecting all that energy output? No. Gyms run lights, a couple of computers, heaters, air and pool filters, a refrigerator, a microwave, TVs, vending machines, and a vacuum cleaner. Plus, I'm probably forgetting some of their energy needs. Your average exercise machine isn't in use twenty-four hours a day either, so it seems impossible for a gym to go completely green. Still, it could be a percentage. If you told me I could save ten percent on my energy bill, I might look into the possibilities.
The problem is getting everyone on-board, power companies, fitness equipment companies, gyms, and even to some extent, the athletes. There's where your inertia settles in. A few people can move forward easily, but a lot of people take a lot of momentum to change directions, even if they all believe that climate change is a problem.
Maybe I haven't grasped the energy required to run the exercise equipment itself. Maybe I'm missing more than I think regarding this idea. That's entirely possible.
I'm going to become that crazy lady, aren't I? It's already bad at home, me repeatedly asking my family to turn out lights in rooms they're leaving and to shut off monitors they aren't using. Now, I have to nag gyms and corporations that make exercise equipment too.
Soon, I'm going all in to tell you my ideas about video game solutions and micro-windmills. I seriously don't know if any of it has any merit, but I'm already out on a limb. Might as well see how far out I get before it breaks.
Thank you for listening, jules
The only way they left open for contact that wasn't about complaints was through Facebook, so I sent them a message:
Have you ever considered setting up your machines to harness the power the person puts into it, charge a battery, put energy back onto the grid? It would redefine the word 'powerhouse.'
They sent me a reply:
Thanks for reaching out. Is there something I can assist you with regarding your NordicTrack equipment?
I tried again:
I would like to know if any of your equipment is set up to provide green energy.
They wrote:
Just so I am understanding you correctly. You are wanting to know if you can charge your own unit instead of plugging it into a wall.
I wrote:
No. I want to know if I can harness the energy I produce while I'm exercising for use elsewhere.
There seemed to be a disconnect in our communications.
When I think about one machine and one person charging one battery, the whole thing sounds a little ridiculous, doesn't it? Phil Stewart says that a fit person cycling can generate about 240 watts per hour. That's enough to run your desktop monitor and your laptop, but not enough to run your refrigerator while you're exercising.
But put it into perspective by picturing your average gym at 6pm. If five guys spin on cycles, three run on treadmills, a couple on ellipticals, and at least one lifts at a weight machine, that's a whole lot of energy output, a lot of flywheels flying. And what about those spinning classes? Could a gym go green just by collecting all that energy output? No. Gyms run lights, a couple of computers, heaters, air and pool filters, a refrigerator, a microwave, TVs, vending machines, and a vacuum cleaner. Plus, I'm probably forgetting some of their energy needs. Your average exercise machine isn't in use twenty-four hours a day either, so it seems impossible for a gym to go completely green. Still, it could be a percentage. If you told me I could save ten percent on my energy bill, I might look into the possibilities.
The problem is getting everyone on-board, power companies, fitness equipment companies, gyms, and even to some extent, the athletes. There's where your inertia settles in. A few people can move forward easily, but a lot of people take a lot of momentum to change directions, even if they all believe that climate change is a problem.
Maybe I haven't grasped the energy required to run the exercise equipment itself. Maybe I'm missing more than I think regarding this idea. That's entirely possible.
I'm going to become that crazy lady, aren't I? It's already bad at home, me repeatedly asking my family to turn out lights in rooms they're leaving and to shut off monitors they aren't using. Now, I have to nag gyms and corporations that make exercise equipment too.
Soon, I'm going all in to tell you my ideas about video game solutions and micro-windmills. I seriously don't know if any of it has any merit, but I'm already out on a limb. Might as well see how far out I get before it breaks.
Thank you for listening, jules
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