Not a new idea, but worth sharing: Hook up your bicycle or hand crank to the tv so that it will only have power if you pedal. The electricity generated by an hour of physical activity will run a tv for a few hours, and certainly make us feel less like a couch potato(e) :) While the money saved on electicity bills is minimal, it still may make us more aware that the electricity we take for granted requires power! Also it would be a back-up for necessary power if the grid goes out (again). I found a website that sells the needed equipment, but I'm sure there are others: http://www.windstreampower.com/
On a related note, people may increase their fitness (and reduce dependence on technology and enhance the environment) simply by walking instead of driving more, using manual instead of powered tools (yard work by hand!), not using the remote control or elevators, etc.
We all know this but few people act on it yet still complain about being overweight! The average American eats roughly the same amount of calories per day as we did 100 years ago, but one difference is that the average person walked over 2 miles a day back then but only 370 yards a day today!
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Actually Coleman used to sell a British made wind-up radio. The same thing would work for a TV with a LCD screen, as the power requirements are relatively modest.
Cool but seems a bit of a hastle to hook but, but still I'd do it. I hardly ever watch TV but the bits I do watch it could be helpful for.
My dad knew somebody whose son was over weight. So he bought a exercise bike which hooked up and controlled the TV. If the son got below some speed the TV would turn off. From what I remember the son lost a lot of weight.