[Quinny]

I've heard several figures as to the fossil fuel calories embedded in the food we eat & would like to explore this further.

Could anybody point me at sources that breakdown the ff used in various foodstuffs and how it comes to be eg transportation (ship plane lorry car), fertiliser, tilling, harvesting, etc.

Also some overall figures as to the total amount of ff used in agriculture.

Thanks

[SpringCreekFarm]

I cannot point you to any 'definitive' scientific studies but the ratio that I've read about over the years seems to be 10:1. 10 kilocalories of fossil fuel energy input for 1 kilocalorie of food energy output.

[PeakOiler]

Quinny,

Although Dale Allen Pfeiffer's article at fromthewilderness is not a scientific study, he did cite many references which can be explored further.

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/w ... g_oil.html

The article was dated 2004 and many of the figures, facts, and estimates can probably be updated and revised by this time. Nevertheless, I think the analysis is still excellent and should give you a better general understanding of the energy intensiveness of the food we eat.

Meanwhile, the pineapple growing in my living room will not have to be shipped 5000 miles from Hawaii...