Tired of buying your energy from the man? Here are some cool gadgets that make it possible to generate your own electricity and shrink your utility bills.

When someone says “power plant” what do you envision? Most of us might think of the traditional coal fired power plant, with its smoke stacks and transmission wires. Others might see a massive array of solar panels or a vast wind farm full of slowly rotating turbines. One think you probably don’t think of is your own body–but you should!

Our bodies are their own energy-generating factories. We turn food (calories) into energy that powers every system in our body. What many people don’t realize is that the by-products of that energy (heat and movement) can be captured and recycled into energy for the cool gadgets we just can’t seem to live without.

Electricity is a relatively new innovation, and before it was readily available, humans used their natural energy to power many low-tech technologies, like the bicycle or the hand-crank drill. It’s only been recently that we’ve come up with cool gadgets that allow us to turn our store up calories into electricity for more sophisticated stuff, like the human-powered gym or pedal-powered HVAC systems.

I know what you’re thinking. Those human powered solutions are big, pretty expensive, and probably not going to land in your living room any time soon. Well, if you’re looking for more manageable ideas for saving energy and creating your own electricity, just scroll through the infographic below. It lists five cool gadgets that are just waiting to help you become a super efficient power plant, even when on the go!

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Image: Imanasteroid

Infographic: Save On Energy

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