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View Full Version : Hotel to guests: Pedal for electricity, get a voucher



Sporkman
April 21st, 2010, 02:13 PM
The 366-room Danish hotel, located five minutes from Copenhagen International Airport, is offering a radically cool eco initiative--possibly the first in the world--by letting guests pedal away on exercise bikes for a free meal. This not only provides a good workout, it helps reduce hotel guests' carbon footprint.

Two stationary bicycles are hooked up to generators, with an iPhone attached to the handlebar to display the wattage. Guests willing to sweat it out to deliver 10 watt hours of power score a meal worth about 240 Danish crowns ($44) in the hotel's restaurant or lobby bar. Not half bad for doing your part for the environment...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20002995-1.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Tristam Green
April 21st, 2010, 02:18 PM
I have often thought about hooking up a generator to a workout bike and attempting to do some power generation at home. I've joked about doing this for me and my wife while we play video games lol.

dragos240
April 21st, 2010, 02:18 PM
Cool!

Simian Man
April 21st, 2010, 02:19 PM
I've been wondering when physical human labor would become cheaper than the electricity it can produce. I guess this is the first step.

Sporkman
April 21st, 2010, 02:27 PM
I've been wondering when physical human labor would become cheaper than the electricity it can produce. I guess this is the first step.

The end result of that is it being more economical to convert food directly to fuel.

Tristam Green
April 21st, 2010, 02:57 PM
I've been wondering when physical human labor would become cheaper than the electricity it can produce. I guess this is the first step.

Want something to really blow your mind? Consider the second law of thermodynamics, and the recent obesity epidemic. I do not mean this offensively at all, but if considered, those people are effectively lantern batteries to your averagely-built person's AA.

sydbat
April 21st, 2010, 03:03 PM
The Matrix is just around the corner...

MindSz
April 21st, 2010, 03:05 PM
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20002995-1.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

haha awesome!

Tristam Green
April 21st, 2010, 03:11 PM
The Matrix is just around the corner...

no.

sydbat
April 21st, 2010, 03:12 PM
no.OMG!!! You mean it's here already!?!

Tristam Green
April 21st, 2010, 03:18 PM
Ironically, I have a big blue Matrix Resources (http://www.matrixresources.com/matrix/website.nsf/HomePages/Home) coffee mug on my desk right now.

tica vun
April 21st, 2010, 03:58 PM
The Matrix is just around the corner...

First law of themodynamics: You can't turn a profit

Second law of thermodynamics: You can't even break even.

Entropy always wins in the end.

whiskeylover
April 21st, 2010, 04:57 PM
First law of themodynamics: You can't turn a profit

Second law of thermodynamics: You can't even break even.

Entropy always wins in the end.

Let there be light! - Multivacs.

V for Vincent
April 21st, 2010, 05:24 PM
Don't think they're the first to come up with this sort of initiative. I remember reading somewhere about prisoners having to cycle in order to get "television time". Of course, the power generated was recycled, as well.

rottentree
April 21st, 2010, 05:39 PM
That's actually quite cool you workout and get electricity WIN!WIN!

I have heard something similar where they want to use pedestrians' walking to produce electricity.

Ebere
April 21st, 2010, 05:47 PM
First law of themodynamics: You can't turn a profit

Second law of thermodynamics: You can't even break even.

Entropy always wins in the end.

Exactly.

If "machines" took over, and wanted to use us for fuel, they'd simply burn us to fuel the generators.

And even THAT would be a pitiful fuel source for them.

No way we would make wothwhile energy for them, otherwise.

As for 'processing power'... If we are all busy creating this imaginary world, how much processing power could be left over ?

Plus, if the machines were able to take over, it stands to reason they have already got as much processing power as we have, or more...

Sporkman
April 21st, 2010, 05:49 PM
Don't think they're the first to come up with this sort of initiative. I remember reading somewhere about prisoners having to cycle in order to get "television time". Of course, the power generated was recycled, as well.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20001942-54.html