I'm always on the look-out for interesting stories about the green movement, recycling, etc. While this story isn't directly related to helping a business go green, it is an intriguing approach to green energy production.
As seen here: Green Energy Saving Tips
The country of Brazil is currently running a pilot program where inmates in the Santa Rita do Sapucai Prison are given the opportunity to produce green energy while reducing time off their sentences.
The prison authorities have installed two exercise bikes in the prison’s yard and these bikes are connected to batteries. As we all know the cyclists through the motion of the petals they produce kinetic energy which is then converted into electricity. The electricity is then used to charge the batteries. A special device on the handlebars notifies the cyclist when the battery is fully charged. The batteries are then taken to city of Santa Rita to power street lamps. It has been found that one day’s of cycling can give the energy needed to run six street light bulbs. Prison authorities have estimated that when the program is taken to its full scale the amount of green or alternative energy produced will be enough to illuminate the city!
Although the project is still in a pilot phase, the early results have been encouraging. The participating inmates are reducing their sentences at a rate of 1 day per every 24 hours of pedaling. The Brazilian government has indicated that the program maybe deployed to other prisons later this year.
"It's a win-win situation," the prison's director, Gilson Rafael Silva, told the AP. "People who normally are on the margins of society are contributing to the community and not only do they get out sooner in return, they also get their self-esteem back."
I've always believed that inmates could be doing far more in prison that just watching TV. I'd love to see any kind of similar program deployed in the United States.
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