Remember that scene in Disney Pixar's "Wall-E" where all the citizens are on the aircraft sitting in their hovering chairs? Anytime I see a hoverboard that is the first thing to come to my mind. Hoverboards seem to be the new fad--we see them in malls, on campuses, in the grocery store, and even in parks. Hoverboards are exactly what society does not need.

I'll admit that when I first saw a hoverboard, I was like most people and was very intrigued with the concept. I mean, it seems fun! Hop on this rechargeable electric board and get where you need to go in about five minutes less time than walking. On the other hand, the more I thought about the concept of hoverboards I realized how disadvantageous they are.

One of America's largest problems in today's society is obesity. This issue has been discussed by politicians for years, when Michelle Obama launched a campaign geared towards healthy school lunches in order to finally make a difference. The fact that the hoverboard is the newest best thing to have in America is one of the most contradictory fads yet. The hoverboard takes away from simple exercise, where floating is the new walking.

On the contrary, hoverboards may signify a new era of technology for the twenty first century. The technological advancements that the hoverboard demonstrates are some of the near future. My question to these engineers is: when are they going to apply these advancements to products that will benefit society rather than influence people to avoid daily exercise that is needed? These new ideas could be applied to new products that could assist with clean energy or preventing smog.

The next time you see a hoverboard, burn some extra calories and take a moment to reflect on alternatives to this product!