The elevator is a great invention. It facilitates people movement in very tall buildings; helps us move heavy/large/fragile items easily; and assists those of us who are in wheelchairs, using crutches, or suffering from arthritis or other joint malady. However, if you aren't taking part in any of the aforementioned activities or previously discussed situations, I think you should be taking the stairs.
At work, I find myself passing individuals waiting for the elevator on the 1st floor only to beat them to the 3rd floor by taking the stairs. Some persons I give the benefit of the doubt to, remembering certain activities or situations, but others I'm pretty sure could use those quadriceps and carry themselves up a few flights. The worst is when I spot a young 20-something waiting for the elevator with a tray full of food from the 1st floor cafeteria. I take a gander at his/her lunch choices: french fries, a diet soda, frozen yogurt. That meal practically mandates stair usage!
On the other hand, I see several regulars taking advantage of the stairs at work (There's even one woman who does her exercises every afternoon by walking up and down them for about 30 minutes). If they're carrying food, I've got to satisfy my curiosity, and I look at what they've chosen from the cafeteria menu: minestrone soup, breadsticks, and a fruit cup.
It's alarming how often lousy vs. healthy meal choices accompany elevator vs. stair usage. Do you think if I went to the cafeteria and watched what people bought I could tell whether or not they were going to take the elevator? Quite possibly.
7 comments:
I definitely need to start using the stairs more often myself. It's pure laziness (and possibly also related to the fact I'm often toting a 20+ pound kid on my hip) but still no excuses!
Toting a 20+ pound kid definitely fits into the situation of moving fragile things easily. No worries for you!
I say the perfect compromise between taking the elevator versus the stairs is the little chair elevator that goes up the stairs. I am not so sure what people using the chair elevator would eat though.
It's funny because I was thinking about this very subject the other day. My thoughts were on the huge amount of energy that is consumed by the electric motor that has to move not only the mass of the elevator and all of the cables attached, but also the one single person inside (and the food on their tray of course :) ). This energy gluttony is often compounded when said person is only using it to go up one floor. All that energy for one person and one floor; I wonder if Emileo K. Elevatore knew what we'd do with it when he conceived the notion...
my afternoon exercise routine consists of stepping into the elevator, pushing ALL the buttons and jumping up in the air at that moment right before the lift stops. you know, for weightlessness.
actually, there's just one elevator in town that I know of but it does happen to be in the building I work in (2 floors).
unless you count grain elevators.
Hey, just see your pics with Brooke for burgers. so remember to give you the name of the all you can eat Sushi buffet: Yuraku , 19773 Frederick Rd
Germantown, MD 20876 .....let us know when you can go, maybe we can meet you guys there too.=) be there early if you don't want to wait. They open at 11:00am
stairs leave me so breathless now. maybe it is the 25lb Joe factoring in- but even without him sometimes, I am surprised how quickly I huff and puff. Elevators are so great because you really wouldn't want to carry that tray of minestrone soup or french fries- and accidentally spill it on the stairwell- thus causing any lunchtime exercisers possible injury.
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