tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665342107723336257.post7304999173122033134..comments2023-02-13T03:38:13.649-05:00Comments on LaMarotte: When We Eat, We’re Eating EnergyADhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06408980212433714362noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665342107723336257.post-42444847261086663382011-10-31T17:24:21.653-04:002011-10-31T17:24:21.653-04:00Let's see if we can identify what that energy ...Let's see if we can identify what that energy gains us...<br /><br />Going back to the 1700's when no fossil fuels were needed and no powered machines (water/windmills excepted) were used, it took ~3 acres to feed a person. One farming family could farm roughly 65 acres. Presuming ~8 people, that meant they fed an additional 16 people. One could say that for every Kcal put into food, we got three out. 90% of the population were farmers.<br /><br />Today, 1.2 acres supplies 3800 (double what we need) per person. I suspect that would be even lower if we ate more like people did the 1700s.<br /><br />The average farm size is ~418. <br />I can't find how many people are needed to farm that, as we are no longer tying farms to families in most cases.<br /><br />What I can find is that now less than 1% now work as farmers.<br /><br />So we now free 89% of the population from the sort of work we describe as backbreaking. <br /><br />Is it worth the trade?russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10855830819794968851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665342107723336257.post-60987668835840245152011-10-31T12:53:28.591-04:002011-10-31T12:53:28.591-04:00Much appreciate this comment, russel. I've cha...Much appreciate this comment, russel. I've changed the post to make the correction. In retrospect I realize that I should have known that...ADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06408980212433714362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665342107723336257.post-36781542629685931922011-10-31T10:39:11.764-04:002011-10-31T10:39:11.764-04:00In your calculations I do not see that you accoun...In your calculations I do not see that you account for the fact that a food calorie is not the same as an energy calorie? Food is counted in Kcals, not Cals.<br /><br />Which would mean that your ratio is 1.073, not 1073.<br /><br />Still, combine that with food security data and you get really scary numbers.<br /><br />Many countries, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, do not produce enough food to support their populations and must import that food. In the case of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, that number is 80% of all food is imported.<br /><br />Long before 2040, the oil will be gone from the Middle East and/or the oil wars will stop food from flowing so easily or in such large numbers.<br /><br />Even today, that means 64.2m people in Egypt that cannot be fed to a minimum diet.russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10855830819794968851noreply@blogger.com