If “New Coke” is remembered as one of the monumental failures of all time, perhaps LSU’s version of “New Coke” is the “green treadmill.”At the beginning of this semester, I noticed the UREC had a new machine. I read the information provided to the side of it and was intrigued by this “green treadmill.” A treadmill that does not use any electricity? Sounds great.That is until I tried it. For about 30 seconds, I experienced a sensation similar to running in quick sand. No matter how slow or fast I ran, the platform seemed to go faster, leading me to literally “run for my life.”During peak hours at the Rec, there can be a long wait for treadmills. Coincidentally, even during the busiest times, the “green” treadmill sat conspicuously unused. I did once see a brave soul venture a prolonged run on the contraption, but cannot report on whether he survived.I am all for saving the environment. Coming up with good ideas to reduce strain on the environment can positively impact society. The key word is “good.”Manufacturing and shipping a useless piece of junk benefits no one except perhaps the scam artists who sold one of our school’s employees this garbage, but no one else.I could be misinformed. Maybe it was a rental, maybe it was given to LSU for free, maybe it has found a new home on campus. Excuse me for not doing the research prior to jumping to conclusions, but little can be done to sway me to regard the “green” treadmill in a positive light.Imagine if the money wasted on the “green” treadmill would have been allocated to buy something more useful. A signed copy of “Workouts for Dummies” comes to mind.
Steven Wolfmass communication junior