Eating oil: energy use in food production

Book · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5022762

Green, M B

By incorporating massive amounts of fossil-fuel energy into their food production systems, the developed countries have solved the problems of feeding increasing populations from limited amounts of arable land. The results have been spectacular--outputs of crops per hectare and per man-hour have soared. More and more energy must be used in food production as populations increase, and the law of diminishing returns applies. Equally critical, world resources of fossil fuels are themselves finite. The current solution to the food problems in developed countries is a decidedly limited one. With these concerns in mind, Dr. Green examines the efficiency of energy use in the food-production systems of the United States and the United Kingdom and makes suggestions as to how wastage might be avoided. The problem of feeding the populations of those developing countries in which fossil-fuel energy to boost food production is not available is also considered.

• OSTI ID: 5022762
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
298000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Consumption & Utilization
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
DECISION MAKING
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPE
FOOD
FOOD INDUSTRY
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INDUSTRY
LAND USE
NORTH AMERICA
POPULATIONS
PRODUCTION
UNITED KINGDOM
USA
WASTES