Occupy Wall Street Will Use Bikes to Generate Electricity
- Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:37pm by
Buck Sexton
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Call it “pedaling for progressivism.”
Occupy Wall Street has turned to bicycle-powered generators to provide electricity for its laptops, cell phones — even a projector screen.
The Occupy Wall Street campsite has been effectively without power since the FDNY seized the Occupiers’ gas-powered generators last week. And on top of that, it was a bitter cold weekend in New York City, with the earliest snowfall in 59 years.
So to keep their digital insurgency humming despite dropping temperatures, the Occupation’s Sustainability Working Group will be going green with bike power.
Huffington Post reports that the Occupiers plan to use the power-generating bikes in several locations around Zuccotti Park. OWS is requesting bicycle parts and electrical system donations from the public to help with this new project.
The Sustainability Working Group, which includes members from MIT Media Lab, Pedal Power, and Time’s Up!, will be spearheading the bike power project and trying to find the know-how and material needed to make it work.
It won’t be easy. HuffPo quoted a Brooklyn electrician who volunteered to help the Occupiers as stating that,”It can take up to two hours of uninterrupted pedaling to reach 12.5 volts.”
Others estimate that six hours of continuous pedaling would produce about 100 hours of battery use.
Perhaps the Occupiers believe another side-effect of the bicycle generation project will be just keeping warm.
And as Occupy has already turned into something of a downtown tourist attraction, with double-decker buses passing every few minutes, there are already plans afoot to bring more legs into action.
“People get really excited when they see these bikes,” an Occupier told the Times. “I’m going to ask the tourists if they want to help pedal.”
Watch the video below on the Occupiers’ “green energy” program to get a sense of what they are planning, and their call for funding despite reports that they have already raised nearly $500K (clip courtesy of Youtube):





















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Comments (153)
machochris
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:18pmYea, I saw this in Omega Man with Charleston Heston how many years ago…
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:34pmI saw it on Gilligan’s Island :-D
Report Post »I wonder if they will also use coconut batteries.
dirtydog1776
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:47pmSoylent Green with Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. Was Mr. Heston trying to give us a message about zombies and a government that wants to turn us into dinner?
Occupy Wall Street, like most liberal movements, reveals a desire to turn back time and repeal the rights of people.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:58pmGonna create their own power huh?
Perhaps they can combine their pedaling with their yoga.
I can hear them chanting now………Ohm……..ohm………..ohm……
Sorry, couldn’t resist(or)
Report Post »mils
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:59pmThese people need to be disbanded..now.
Report Post »The longer they stay the more they are entrenched and some terrible things will start to happen to and with them.
I‘ve read that ACORN is now OWS’s banker???? Tax Deductible donations for OWS??? wow, we really are falling apart.
AvengerK
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:11pmLANTERN…I haven‘t stopped laughing at the Gilligan’s Island quip..that was brilliant.
Report Post »DTOM_Jericho (Creator vindicator)
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:26pmShouldn’t they need more bikes since they would also need to provide me with power? Where do these people get off thinking they can only provide power for themselves? Freaking racists! Why do they get all the bike power and we get none? They are the .01% and we are the 99.99%. They need to pay their fair share to us. It works better when we spread the wealth around. End bike energy greed now!
Report Post »SerikFox
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:42pm@TheRightsOfBilly I don’t think you understand yoga. Not all yoga is spiritualized. The yoga I‘ve done hasn’t been. Yoga is just a series of stretches and exercises (which do actually work btw). I‘ve never heard anyone chanting that during yoga when I’ve been to the class. A lot of the “wierd stuff” they say is actually a description of the physical feeling. There are actually some christian yoga groups. That‘s not to say there aren’t some really strange yoga groups – just that most yoga groups are not like that.
Report Post »IronSights
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:59pmI want to see the permits for this. Also, I see an electrician volunteered, was everyone involved in setting this up been certified and tested to do such work? Lastly, has the city inspector come by yet and made sure its up to code. Or does none of this apply to OWS and only working stiffs like me? Just askin.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:22pm@SERIKFOX
It was nothing more than my attempt to “generate” a little humor.
Although I admit it may not be relevant to everyone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm's_law
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:01pmI believe the OWS ECO bike has a better chance of success than Solyndra ever did. Maybe Barry should cough up another half a billion and back them.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:42pmIsn’t the “volunteer” electrician scabbing the work from a unionized electrician? Aren’t there laws against that in NYC?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 8:56pmI wonder if they would mind if I plugged in my BOOMBOX? Share the electricity.
Report Post »Obama Been Lauding
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 6:06amBut Wait!!!
Report Post »The Department of Energy has a loan it wants to give to these freeloaders, for massive solar panels, so they can power a transister radio, and use as cover for the upcoming snow!!!!
V-MAN MACE
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 3:27pmOne bike can power an entire block if electronics were designed properly to use as little current as possible with back-electromotive force from the collapse of the magnetic field into the atoms of the conductor.
Our devices waste too much energy and they’re designed backwards in terms of how electricity really works, considering positive current flows in the opposite direction of conventional current, and has the effect of cooling down while running instead of heating up.
Report Post »plastinoid
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:17pm“I’m going to ask the tourists if they want to help pedal.” Hahahahahahaha……Why because you know that the Occupiers are too lazy to pedal for there own cause? Hahahahahahahahaha……you people are so lame! Why not just ask for donations from the wealthy 1% so you can hire other people to do your protesting against the wealthy 1% for you?…….oh yeah, that’s what that 1 percenter George Soros is doing with you.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:24pmI have this Chair I want to donate . First we strap you in, Attach all electrodes, then everyone pedal real fast. When well done, Remove, Rinse ,,Repeat
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:33pmIf they pump really hard, they can light up a 100 watt light bulb. These are kids having fun with the media and the media kids are enjoying it. We need grown up solutions to our problems.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:36pm@PLASTINOID
Report Post »My thoughts exactly ,even wanting someone else to power their toys for them,feed them,pay them,clean up after them ,etc…
IAMMADDOG
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:16pm“Occupy Wall Street has turned to bicycle-powered generators to provide electricity for its laptops, cell phones — even a projector screen.”
For their laptops, cell phones and projector screen, which would not even be available to them were it NOT for CAPITALISM. This is a convention of the “Will work for food” industry. By the way NONE of the “will work for food” people ACTUALLY expect to work. They expect to just be handed cash by people feeling guilty.
Report Post »Channel3
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:31pm@IAMMADDOG
Go one step futher and ask a “Progressive Liberal” where the material came from to make the laptop, cellphone, car, house, building etc.. they so enjoy (mined from the earth using heavy machines).
Then ask them how all of those items were made/built (manufacturing plants, concrete plants, bulldozers, coal fired power plants, nuclear power plant).
Watch their eyes glaze over and ask them if they would perfer to live in a hut made of Yak dung, being warmed by a Yak dung fire and using a donkey for transportation.
Report Post »Busdriver4u
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:14pmI think a wind generator would work better. It could run off all the hot air coming out of the park. If they all exhaled at once …just think.
Report Post »seeker9
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:50pmMichael Moore would be excellent there.
Report Post »pjmarshake
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:02pmPut him in some courderoy pants and make him walk on a tread mill… That will generate enough static electricity to power all of Manhattan!
Report Post »AxelPhantom
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:31pmMethane gas! They have a lot of that after eating all that bolognaise.
Report Post »king1
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:13pmsounds like they need to get a life and a job and a bath
Report Post »Joe Camel
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:11pmThe answer to small power needs are right there with them, solar and wind, augmented by “mechanical” produced power. Good lord folks, it is not rocket science to generate the power needed at your site. Just some parts, basic electronics knowledge and someone to put it together. You would think with all those LARGE brains running around, they would have this figured out already. Maybe the “Remedial Basket Weaving” degree is not much help these days.
Report Post »plastinoid
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:11pm“I’m going to ask the tourists if they want to help pedal.” Hahahahahahaha……Why because you know that the Occupiers are too lazy to pedal for there own cause? Hahahahahahahahaha……you people are so lame! Why not just ask for donations from the wealthy so you can hire other people to do your protesting for you?…….oh yeah, that’s what George Soros is doing with you.
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:10pmSo they want the tourists to bike to generate their electricity? They are too ever loving lazy to get on the bikes and do some real work after all…figures.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:09pmWow, $8000 for 11 bikes; Here is a thought, Get a freaking job and buy them yourself.
I have a question who owns the bikes once this little fiasco of a protest is over? Who gets to claim ownership? Do these idiots plan to stay all winter in Zucotti park?
They are the laughing stock of Wall Street; while they remain warm and still making money, these idiots are accomplishing NOTHING!
Report Post »AnAmerican111
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:08pmGarbage mixed in with garbage! Bunch of losers!
Report Post »ConservativeCharlie
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:13pmLOL! They need to add the bike to the new Occuppy music video. It would be a nice addition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qFTHowBDFc
Report Post »ourig
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:07pmlet me know where should i send the money for the bike ….not hahahahahahahahahahahahah morons
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:03pmLets send them parts made in China; that should last only a few hours before they fail.
Report Post »atechgeek
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:08pmWell at least they will be in shape and less of a strain on the system. Someone’s got to be riding a bike all the time. I get it .. why not step back to a time before the wheel was invented. Then we can really start from scratch !!
Report Post »This is soooooooooo STUP—ID !!!!
Enjoy the snow !!!
Obama_Sham
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:02pm“HuffPo quoted a Brooklyn electrician who volunteered to help the Occupiers as stating that,”It can take up to two hours of uninterrupted pedaling to reach 12.5 volts.”
If an electrician really made this statement, then the knowledge of the trade has gone to h3ll…
Report Post »atechgeek
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:09pmWhich is why he can’t find a job and is at OCW. LOL
Report Post »Proof that Capitalism rewards hard / smart work.
GhostOfJefferson
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:10pmI questioned the stupidity of that statement myself. You can reach working voltage on a DC or AC generator almost immediately, peddling or from any normal means of turning a generator. Wind generators produce useful current at 7mph (most of them) which is hardly some enormous speed.
I tried plugging “amps” into that too, and it made no sense. In fact, I have no idea what the guy, if he existed, was trying to say. Maybe “takes 2 hours to crank enough amps into a battery to be of use”?
Report Post »Obama_Sham
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:28pm@Ghost
Welcome to my specialty…
Generated voltage is proportional to magnetic field strength and relative motion between the conductor and the magnetic field… In other words, speed and magnetic field dictate the voltage level generated… It has nothing to do with time… Time would be taken in to account when calculating how much current would be needed to sustain the load (or in this case, charging a battery)…
I thought maybe the electrician was either misquoted (which is not unheard of by HuffPo) or meant to say… At a bike speed that would produce 12.5 volts, it would take about 2 hours of pedaling to fully charge a small lead acid / glass mat / gel cell battery… At least, I hope that is what he said / meant to say…
Report Post »Ben__Franklin
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:16pmYepper, Union Electrician Extraordinaire. My back ground is Mechanical and I know enough about Electrical to know the guy is clueless in that statement. May be he meant two hours of heavy peddling to charge a 12V Battery for use.
My question is – how are all these losers that claim to be jobless, students with 100K in debt they cannot pay back, homeless due to forclosures, etc…etc…. but have all these new fangled expensive electronics (that require monthly service fees) that I do not even own and need power?
Here is my prediction, a few dumb f’ks will get on these things and peddle until it hurts. The few will take turns most of the day. By the next day when they see they are the only few dumb f’ks doing all the work – they too will quit. This is the same senario this country is going to see when the 53% of us working hard for what we have get sick of doing all the work so these dumb sh’ts at the OWS protests can live for free.
Government sanction to steal from your doctors to increase the pay of your janitors so they are all equal leaves the country with nothing but a bunch of janitors and no doctors.
Report Post »Just_Bubba
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:07pmI think he is actually trying to state the level of charge in the batteries after thay have been drawn down and recharged for 2 hours. 12.6 volts DC = a fully charged 12 volt lead acid battery…he just can’t relate the info very well. Ohms Law is just that …the LAW. He should expound on that and state from what level of charge thay are beginning their 2 hours of charging and how many amps of output their gens put out and at what voltage. Your car alternator puts out just over 14 VDC in order to “force” the charge into the storage battery. A 200 amp/hour battery would give you the ability to draw 10 amps for 20 hours before complete discharge. You should stop discharge at half that, which would end up with a voltage somewhere in the 11 volt range or so. To replace the charge would take a gen that makes 10 amps and they would have to pedal for 10 hours. This would mean they have something like a 14 volt / 50 amp generation capability to recharge in 2 hours…not likely. Never mind they are too lazy to peddle that long!!! The poor tourists are in for a long hard ride on a stationary bike.
Report Post »Channel3
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:02pm“I am going to ask tourists if they want to help pedal”
Typical. Always looking for someone else to do the work.
Pedal your own stupid bikes!
Report Post »timej31
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:02pmGood I hope they flourish.
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:01pmHAHAHA this is awesome! A virtual communism experiment right before the eyes of the public. This is going to end badly. Communism ALWAYS ends badly.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:15pmI was thinking the same thing…it’s turning into a sitcom.
Report Post »Kisha
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:00pmOh I’ve officially heard it all now!!! I can die now! This story takes the cake!
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:57pmI would say that the bike peddlers would have the best chance of staying warm once they have their “Valley Forge” moment. I’m not sure about New York winters, but as an old boy scout, I can tell you that sleeping in a tent in winter is BRUTAL.
I’m also thinking this could be fun. We should start a betting pot. I‘ll bet they pack up and run for home before New Year’s. (I might be giving them too much credit, but again, I’m not familiar with New York winters.)
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:12pmI would like to pitch in on their effort. I would like to simulate the oppressive government regulations by using a pair of locking pliers to clamp the brake on the bicycles so that these fellow ****-sapiens can experience in a visceral way what these regulations are like.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:16pmH-O-M-O in conjunction with sapiens
IS NOT VULGAR BLAZE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Brooke Lorren
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:16pmI wonder if there is InTrade stock on that very same question…
Report Post »chips1
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 9:04pmKICKINBACK:
Report Post »New York winters are just like winters in Hawaii, except for the temperature.
Brooke Lorren
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:55pmI’ve looked into those bike generators before, as an investment. When the world completely collapses and the electrical system completely fails, then it might come in handy.
Report Post »chazman
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:59pm… what a pack of Ultra Maroons! LMAO!!
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:03pmOMH, no, don’t. What these are, are “food powered generators”. Just existing in normal activity takes the average woman 2,000 calories and the average man 2,500 calories. You’ll be doubling up or more on food to make enough electricity to be useful.
Something these silly little Occuposers don‘t understand either I’m afraid. Show of hands, who wants to work up a huge sweat in the middle of winter, when you’ll be retiring to your tent afterwards? Anybody? Didn’t think so.
Report Post »timej31
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:05pmWhen I did this I had about 20 out of work illegals (use to do drywall work but housing bust) pedaling and it still didn’t run my 60 plasma and humidor. I need more energy than this.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:06pmWhen the world completely collapses, you have to rely on the three G’s. God, Gold, and Guns.
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:08pm@ghost
Report Post »Yeah you’re right….maybe a cold sweat will send them home. If not, a good snowfall surely will.
Channel3
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:10pmThe calorie expendature far outweighs the net power output of a bicycle generator.
Report Post »Brooke Lorren
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:21pmI agree Kickinback, you have to have the 3 Gs. But that’s not going to get any electricity to run when there is no more electricity, and no more gas to run a generator with.
Course by that time, I’ll probably be living in a cave anyway, hiding from the Communists that would otherwise try to kill me, but you never know what the future holds…
Report Post »Ben__Franklin
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:05pmIt will not work Lorren. Energy cannot be created or destroyed but only transformed into a different form with an efficiency loss. You will be peddling your butt off for a little juice. Your battery is only going to last so long. If the economy collapses and the country falls into lawlessness, what are you going to power? Where will you get the spare parts?
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:54pmSee how long that lasts, it will require volunteers who will put in the time and effort while the lazy good for nothing sits on their asses all day…
In the cold you want to do less and less, so getting them motivated will be difficult…. They’ll have to bribe people with better food and better accomodations to put in the time on the bikes (oh wait!!! Would that be considered bribery, some K Street Whores at work?!?!?) The more these people struggle, the longer this goes on, the more and more their day to day living is turning back into normalcy or rules, regulations, policing, and having to go directly against all of the things they claimed there were against in the first place… its irony in motion.
Report Post »pjmarshake
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:57pmDon’t they have to actually do something in the first place for them to do less of it?
Just asking…
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:51pmWait! Just give it less than two weeks. They will be pulling the extension cords from those they deem not worthy of their efforts. Kinda like pulling the plates out from under the homeless whom they have deemed not worthy of supporting their 99% cause…guess, they don’t compute in their equations…
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 2:14pmI’ve been waiting for the first news reports that fire and ambulance had to go in because some genius tried to tap the wiring to the lighting in the park… I would hope they shut down all power in the park since who knows what the condition of things are in there… those animals could’ve tried to tap into the power lines, if there were any phone boxes in there, you know they are stealing phone service…
I hope everyone in the surrounding area has encrypted their WIFI or shut it off because you know these mouchers are trying to steal everything they can from everyone, they are disgusting filth at best, useless garbage at worst.
Report Post »Diablo4965
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:49pmwhat is this guy a heroin addict? Pause at the 44 second mark look at his forearm and you tell me!
Report Post »I wouldn’t doubt it.
Diablo4965
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:51pmnever mind there star tats.
Report Post »honor007
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:06pmoh wow……wonder if the methodone clinic has a booth there?
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:07pmTats to cover up the needle scars :)
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:46pmhow appropriate
all that energy expended pedaling a bike…………..and still getting nowhere
kinda like democratic policies
Report Post »DimmuBorgir
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:47pmstupid hippies, have fun
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:56pmYou should be happy…it is a step towards taking responsibility for themselves and self-reliance. Maybe out of all this nonsense they’ll finally learn to wipe their own butts.
Report Post »Channel3
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:15pmThis is the Democrat base in action and on display for all to see.
LOSERS.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:44pmim going to continue doing my snow dance
why dont the posers buy themselves the bikes with the money they have already begged for
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:58pmHa ha ha ha ha!!!! Need anymore volunteers for that snow dance?
Report Post »honor007
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 1:07pmI am right with you. I hate snow, but I want LOTS of it in NYC~
Report Post »Doing my snow dance too~
I_Hate_Libs
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:41pmPerfect now we can get rid of the hand outs to green job companies that can’t seem to make a dollar. Solyndra, Light Squared, etc…
Anyone But Obama 2012!
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:47pmYes, but what they didn’t tell you was that barack gave them $750,000 to build the bike. I hope the protesters aren’t too lazy to get on there and pedal. That would be another tradjic waste of taxpayers money.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 12:56pmYes, Govt Bike Company will bill your household $5,000 for a ‘bike power set up’ in your home and your family will be responsible for 8 hrs of ‘power pedalling’ per day.(or else??) All of mankind’s problems solved right there. Next?
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