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The Spreading Global Food Crisis Thread pt 2 (merged)

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The Spreading Global Food Crisis Thread pt 2 (merged)

Postby Jack » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 18:05:53

Source for information: LINK
Excerpt: $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he primary finding was that in 1902 the Scottish working-class consumed nearly twice as many calories as the average Scottish resident consumes today—an additional 1,500 calories. The second major finding was that the 1902 diet had half the amount of fat as the modern-day diet. Finally, qualitative evidence suggested that physical activity allowed a working-class man to consume 3,500 calories a day without gaining weight. In contrast, the average 2,093 calories consumed today are excessive given a sedentary lifestyle.

Notice that this refers to 1902 - not some far-away medieval era.

Notice also that stable weight requires about 70% more calories than today.

If we suppose that we'll use more muscle power and less gasoline,
it seems reasonable to believe that we will revert toward the 1902
patterns referenced above. That being the case, we'll need to grow
more food at the same time that our use of oil for agriculture will
become more problematic.

This appears to suggest that an early effect of peak oil will be
sharp increases in food costs coupled with a decline in food availability.
It also renders a transition to bio-fuels more questionable.

Doomers, arise! You have nothing to lose but your rose-colored glasses! 8)
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby BrownDog » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 18:45:23

I'm sure that people will eat less factory-produced meat, as a result of this.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Colorado-Valley » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 19:03:02

I wonder if my herd of 30 Angus beef cattle will someday be outlawed.

The weird thing is that they're all raised on organic prairie grass, so they "should" be politically correct.

I've been thinking that small farmers and ranchers could do well in the future if they can raise surplus food for market.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby JPL » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 19:35:07

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', 'N')otice also that stable weight requires about 70% more calories than today.

If we suppose that we'll use more muscle power and less gasoline,
it seems reasonable to believe that we will revert toward the 1902
patterns referenced above. That being the case, we'll need to grow
more food at the same time that our use of oil for agriculture will
become more problematic.


Yep I agree.

My wife & I started our sulf-suffiency 'project' a couple of years ago and I lost three stone before I realised I had to eat more. Red meat, cheese & dairy. Horrendous from a (modern) dietry point-of-view but if you are working in the fields your body seems to need it...

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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Ludi » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 20:23:04

I'm into working smarter, not harder.

Really folks, there's no need to return to the Middle Ages and I wish you would just stop it.

Don't be stoopid.

:roll:
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby BrownDog » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 20:39:22

Compared to the desk job I have, doing a little more physical activity throughout the day probably IS smarter.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby RonMN » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 20:45:31

Absolutely nothing will stop the biofuels rampage. Some companies have even started buying farmland to ensure the production of their biofuels. I find it to be quite simple actually...

More food required + Less food available = Dieoff :(

Actually it's already begun (although in slow motion)...keep an eye on grain prices (bread/pasta) & veggie oil prices at the grocery store.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Jack » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 20:53:53

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BrownDog', 'C')ompared to the desk job I have, doing a little more physical activity throughout the day probably IS smarter.


Sure. And think of the pleasures of having the large slice of chocolate cake without the least twinge of guilt!

That said - people who do more physical work will burn more calories. They will, therefore, seek to consume more calories. If large numbers of people do so, the net result is increased food consumption - and from that, the rest follows.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Jack » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 20:57:11

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I')'m into working smarter, not harder.


But Ludi - do you expend more physical effort than someone in an office who sits at a computer all day? Many doctors would be pleased if their patients got a mere 30 minutes of vigorous activity on most days. Do your activities equate to that? Do they exceed it?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '
')Really folks, there's no need to return to the Middle Ages and I wish you would just stop it.


Not the Middle Ages. 1902. There is a difference, Ludi, and you know it.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Ludi » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 20:57:35

But many First World people are already overweight, consuming a lot of calories but doing little work. So it may simply come out even in the future, they will do a little more work with the same amount of calories and no longer be the fat slobs they currently are.

I'm not too worried, personally.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Ludi » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 21:01:51

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', 'B')ut Ludi - do you expend more physical effort than someone in an office who sits at a computer all day? Many doctors would be pleased if their patients got a mere 30 minutes of vigorous activity on most days. Do your activities equate to that? Do they exceed it?...
Not the Middle Ages. 1902. There is a difference, Ludi, and you know it.


I "labor" four to six hours a day "in the fields" :roll: and manage to remain slightly plump not eating very much, mostly a vegetarian diet with meat maybe every couple of weeks.

I said "Middle Ages" because so many people seem intent on returning to them, laboring in the fields as serfs apparently. I have no idea why they apparently want to do this or feel it is inevitable.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby katkinkate » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 21:31:13

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BrownDog', 'C')ompared to the desk job I have, doing a little more physical activity throughout the day probably IS smarter.


Amen! A little more regular exercise is needed to justify how much I eat now.
Kind regards, Katkinkate

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but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby rwwff » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 22:39:03

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'q')ualitative evidence suggested that physical activity allowed a working-class man to consume 3,500 calories a day without gaining weight. In contrast, the average 2,093 calories consumed today are excessive given a sedentary lifestyle.

Notice that this refers to 1902 - not some far-away medieval era.

Notice also that stable weight requires about 70% more calories than today.


My weight is stable at 3,000 Cal/day with my combination of desk work, and productive excercise (utility cycling, gardening, etc.) The charts in One Circle suggest that if I were to fully transition to the kind of physical labor I'm able to do, I'd be hard pressed to maintain my weight at 4,000 Cal/day. So your quoted estimate of 3,500 Cal/day certainly seems reasonable.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat being the case, we'll need to grow more food at the same time that our use of oil for agriculture will become more problematic.

I think we, as in the US, grow plenty of food to meet this need. The world population on the other hand, doesn't stand a chance.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')t also renders a transition to bio-fuels more questionable.

Not really, but it does illustrate the purpose behind a US transition to biofuels.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby WildRose » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 22:45:51

"It also renders a transition to bio-fuels more questionable."


I should hope so! If we'll have all that labor-intensive farming to do, we'll need the available land to grow more carbohydrate-rich crops, such as potatoes and grains, for energy to fuel our labor.

Although I'm with Ludi - I'll look for the LEAST energy-intensive way to grow my food.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby rwwff » Sat 01 Jul 2006, 22:53:50

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WildRose', 'A')lthough I'm with Ludi - I'll look for the LEAST energy-intensive way to grow my food.


Hey, some of us come equipped to gently hand polinate tomatoes and pluck catepillars. Some of us come equipped to dig giant holes in the ground.
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby MattSavinar » Sun 02 Jul 2006, 01:27:50

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JPL', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', 'N')otice also that stable weight requires about 70% more calories than today.

If we suppose that we'll use more muscle power and less gasoline,
it seems reasonable to believe that we will revert toward the 1902
patterns referenced above. That being the case, we'll need to grow
more food at the same time that our use of oil for agriculture will
become more problematic.


Yep I agree.

My wife & I started our sulf-suffiency 'project' a couple of years ago and I lost three stone before I realised I had to eat more. Red meat, cheese & dairy. Horrendous from a (modern) dietry point-of-view but if you are working in the fields your body seems to need it...

JPL


In addition to the calories for energy, your body needs the cholestorol/fatty acids for hormone and adrenal production which is increased when performing hard labor.

Best,

Matt
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Colorado-Valley » Sun 02 Jul 2006, 01:33:10

Well, I work on a ranch, so I already get plenty of exercise.

Right now I imagine the ranch provides food for, say, 40 or 50 people. But if diesel becomes too expensive, I'll have to hire 10 or so people to work the place. I imagine a lot of the food production will go to feeding the hired hands. So I figure I and most other farmers won't be feeding suburbia any more and you guys are going to have to make your own arrangements.

Do you have a plan?
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Re: Post-Peak: Working harder, eating more. A food crises?

Postby Jack » Sun 02 Jul 2006, 16:51:19

You bring up some very good points, Colorado-Valley.

When those 10 people go from city jobs to ranch jobs, they'll probably have to settle from room, board, and very little (if any) money. That impacts tax revenue.

With a farm or ranch, food preservation becomes important. That means canning, drying, or some other process - most of which require energy and supplies. Getting the supplies for canning may become problematic post peak.

And when we add in the larger number of calories per person, I really think we have another aspect of peak to deal with...
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Food Depletion Statistics

Postby NTBKtrader » Tue 27 Nov 2007, 22:42:24

Can anyone find statistics on who supplies what of world grain supplies and other ag? How much domestic production is consumed in each country versus imported? etc etc I can't seem to find that info. thanks
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Re: Food Depletion Statistics

Postby Tyler_JC » Wed 28 Nov 2007, 00:57:28

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NTBKtrader', 'C')an anyone find statistics on who supplies what of world grain supplies and other ag? How much domestic production is consumed in each country versus imported? etc etc I can't seem to find that info. thanks


Link

It has a collection of maps that show the size of countries based on their food export/import situation.

Play around a bit and see for yourself.

It's incredible to see how dependent the Middle East, Northern Africa, South America, India, etc. are on food imports.
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