The embodied energy of food: the role of diet

David A. Coley; Emma Goodliffe; Jennie Macdiarmid

doi:10.1016/S0301-4215(97)00159-6

The embodied energy of food: the role of diet

David A. Coley, Emma Goodliffe, Jennie Macdiarmid

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

45 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

The provision of food within a developed country requires the expenditure of large amounts of energy. This energy is used within the agricultural, transportation and retail sectors. Much of this will be energy derived from fossil fuels, implying a potential environmental impact. By using food consumption data from 2197 individuals an estimate is made of the width of the distribution of embodied energies for typical U.K. diets. The mean of this distribution is found to be surprisingly large, as is the standard deviation, indicating the potential for significant reductions in fossil-fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions by simple changes in diet.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	455-459
Number of pages	5
Journal	Energy Policy
Volume	26
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-4215(97)00159-6
Publication status	Published - May 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Energy
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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AB - The provision of food within a developed country requires the expenditure of large amounts of energy. This energy is used within the agricultural, transportation and retail sectors. Much of this will be energy derived from fossil fuels, implying a potential environmental impact. By using food consumption data from 2197 individuals an estimate is made of the width of the distribution of embodied energies for typical U.K. diets. The mean of this distribution is found to be surprisingly large, as is the standard deviation, indicating the potential for significant reductions in fossil-fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions by simple changes in diet.

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The embodied energy of food: the role of diet

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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