The Cleanest Energy of All
Picture this:
You walk to the gym to do some exercise. You go to ride the stationary bikes.
You arrive at your favorite bicycle, and gracefully empty your laundry into the washing machine to which your bike is hooked up.
Your peddling, see, is powering the machine.
Sound crazy?
It most definitely is not. Clever mavens of energy-efficiency have been making manual bicycle laundry machines for years.
So welcome to the future- where energy not only does not pollute- it cleans! (Just remember to remove your clean laundry after you’ve showered.)
There is a lot of potential here. Watch and see, how the next Lance Armstrong, will be a laundromat worker. Perhaps we could power a guitar amp, with the power released by the guy playing the tuba? Maybe we could harness the energy produced by pet hamster, who is running tirelessly around his wheel? Okay, that’s cruel and unusual. But wow, the possibilities…
I first heard about this contraption at Society for Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI)’s Earth Day celebration this past Sunday. SPNI, where I work, turned the office courtyard into a model environmentally sustainable home, with each area representing a different room of the house- a living room, a bedroom closet, the kitchen, a bathroom, etc.
Ecology-minded folk came to demonstrate their solutions for reusing old goods, reducing waste, maximizing efficiency, minimizing home toxicity and more. There was a composting toilet that used no water, furniture that was made from recycled cardboard, cleaning products made at home, visitors walking around in used clothing just acquired at the closet/clothes-trading stand, and of course, the clever maven of energy-efficiency, with his manual bicycle laundry machine.
So congratulations to the human race for being great. I find it so hopeful, that a growing mass of people dedicate their lives to digging out the most from everything that we already have- bottles that are empty, clothes that no longer fit, the sun that already shines, wind that already blows, even energy that we already release- before needing to find something new.
Once, “genius” meant to uncover something unheard of. Today it means uncovering a new way, of using everything we’ve always heard of.
Now back to our gym-laundromat: As you cycle, give a glance at the bucket and pipe beside you, where your sweat is collecting. Your eco-contributions do not just end with your laundry. You are saving water, too! You will be able to both quench your thirst and shower with…
Happy Earth Day!
Any good Earth Day stories? Any smart ideas? Please enlighten!
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April 30th, 2008 at 7:07 am
yes! sounds like the event was really cool and fun. wish i’d have been there, so glad that You were in order to observe the genius laundromat (among other things). How true, that the genius of today involves observing what is right in front of us.
Today, for the first time, I drank water out of a glass olive oil bottle. Sound gross? don’t worry, it was very well cleaned and worked perfectly (better than a jar-smaller mouth, convenient size). (Some of us have gotten nervous about using Nalgene bottles since articles about a potentially harmful chemical the plastic contains. In the meantime, instead of looking for a metal bottle or other new product, glass works great. And you dont have to use an olive oil bottle–you can stick with one from juice.
Here in new York, everyone is jumping on the future-minded “green” wagon. The packaging of the movement is a bit funny, but its pretty cool that the subways are now asking commuters to “Can it (i.e. throw away trash) for a greener tomorrow” (They recycle the garbage), and applauding riders for “saving the earth” by using public transportation. Everywhere i look these days i see “green” articles or products or encouraging statements:) Thank G!d this may, who knows, be the sign of a changing lifestyle or at least of a new awareness. Yay for an evolving human population!
May 1st, 2008 at 3:46 am
Brilliant article Yannai. Nu- how about your special little camping stove from coke bottles? I’m waiting for your own invention which I am sure is ruminating inside you somewhere.
Thanks for such a wonderful piece of writing and the enjoyable content.
May 4th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Shalom,i made it eventually to the “Yannay’s website”(”Hey!-mazael tof!… - thank you )
So about the green wagon(i’m on by the way) we you(Yannay..) can go for green webside,you can make it a competition-who can think of how do we make green internet using?or smth.. (for example to have a “plan” what am i going to use internet for,so that i can spend less energy on my computer beeing on stam..)
have a happy week everybody.