Need electricity? Get off your ass and make some.

If you were Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of Phoenix, Arizona you might be concerned with allegations that you have abused your power. Arpaio has gained national attention for aggressively cracking down on illegal immigration, among other concerns on his operation of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. That said, he has another concern. He has made several attempts to trim inmates’ waistlines by cutting food intake to 2,500 calories, stating the inmates are “too fat.” His methods may strike controversy but I can’t help but enjoy watching his latest creation. He has now installed an energy-generating stationary bike, attached to a 19″ TV. Inmates can watch whatever local television channel they want, as long as they put in the effort to bike, thereby generating electricity for the television. Sheriff Arpaio has received criticism in the past from human-rights organizations for making inmates pay money to see nurses. This pedal-powered TV, however is a smart move because television is a privilege, not a right, and it shows ingenuity and an honest attempt to improve inmates’ health. Check out the video below.

Now transitioning over to the automotive world, we are already seeing more manufacturers produce electric cars. Electricity to our homes isn’t free, financially or environmentally. Call me a treehugger, but I would love to have an exercise bike in my home wired to my electrics in addition to my solar panels.