I'll admit it - I'm a workout-aholic. There's really nothing better than sweating out the day's stresses at the gym. In a hamster-esque fashion, I hop on the bike or treadmill everyday and go…absolutely nowhere.

So when I got to talking to Adam Boesel, founder of the country’s first eco-friendly workout facility, The Green Microgym in Portland, my mind started turning: He's attempting to put enough energy back into the Portland grid to offset the energy used to operate the gym by using power-generating stationary bikes.

That alone made me think about how much energy I'm exerting (and essentially "wasting") in my hour long workout – and how capturing it seems like such an obvious, efficient, eco-friendly fit.

If this idea of human-generated energy sounds familiar, you're probably thinking of this year's Super Bowl, where Mountain Dew AMP Energy drink partnered up with Trek Bicycle to create the AMP Human Energy Event. Using Trek provided hybrid bikes connected to generators, AMP athletes were able to create enough electrical power to not only power the entire promotional booth but also returned enough electricity to the Phoenix power grid to offset all of the energy used during the first half hour of the official Super Bowl XLII broadcast. This made it the first energy-neutral broadcast in Super Bowl history.

Similarly, at the Coachella music festival, Global Inheritance enabled concert-goers to hop onto one of 12 specially designed bikes hooked up to cell phone chargers and pedal away in order to recharge their cell phones or cool off by powering misting fans.

Global Inheritance and AMP/Trek Bicycle are onto something here. They've proven that the technology is out there and it's very powerful.

But guys like Adam Boesel are bringing this concept to the small scale and showing folks how being green can fit into their everyday lives. His hope is that people will become more aware of the amount of energy they use – and waste – on a daily basis "You get on a bike and pedal hard and you realize 'Wow. That's about how much energy it takes for me to run my TV set,'" he says. "So you're going to remember to shut off your lights more. I hope it will really help raise awareness of how we can be more efficient with what we do."

I can’t speak for everyone, but I would happily jump on one of these electricity-generating exercise bikes. And judging from the overwhelmingly positive response he's already received from the media, I'm not alone. "It's just now all coming together, the technology is getting there and people are getting closer to fully supporting the idea of an eco-friendly gym," Boesel goes on to say.

Because this type of equipment doesn't quite exist neatly boxed up and ready for use, Boesel was forced to collaborate with electrical engineers to make it work. He is also testing a group exercise bike called Team Dynamo that relies on a team of four to pedal and turn hand cranks to generate from up to 450 watts per hour depending on the fitness level of the team. "Within 20 years, I hope every piece of exercise equipment is going to be shooting back into the grid because it's a no-brainer," he says.

In addition to developing the equipment, there is a misconception of high cost and more work associated with developing an eco-friendly gym, but Boesel dismisses this with a calm laugh. "Initially it will require more work, because it's never been done before," explains Boesel, "But in the mid-run, not even in the long-run, it's no more expensive and doesn't require any more work than a regular gym. At least I'm not seeing it."

Beyond the energy generating bicycles, The Green Microgym also boasts energy-saving treadmills, cardio equipment that doesn't require power, solar rooftop panels, remanufactured equipment and cork/recycled rubber eco-flooring; no green detail has been overlooked. Boesel even offers consultation services for gyms that are interested in following suit.

Eco creds aside, when it comes down to it, Boesel's ultimate goal is to give members a great workout, period. But he's realized that running a gym doesn't have to be so one-track minded.

The Green Microgym opened August 30th, so check them out if you're in the Portland area.

The Green Microgym images obtained from Flickr
Coachella images obtained from Flickr
Amp Super Bowl image obtained from Lancaster Online