Calories

Source: life observations


Relation: RR Ch 2

Commentary:

      A calorie is simply a unit of energy; specifically two units of heat energy. In hunter-gatherer societies, about ten calories of human energy are expanded for every one calorie of food harvested. In "modern" society, only one calorie of human energy is needed to produce 210 calories of food. (RR pg 36). However, the amount of non-human energy that is needed to produce food in our modern society is multiplied enormously. Although it takes less physical labor to farm acres of corn or wheat, the fuel and raw materials that are used make up and exceed the physical labor energy. We see our modern farming techniques as "easier" because we do not have to depend fully on what nature provides; we can alter nature until she produces the desired product.
      The same technique of altering the system is seem time and time again in history. For example there is a growing laziness with students in our country. Instead of doing our homework as it is assigned, we will look for any possible way to make it easier. We spend ten times more energy looking up the answer on Google rather than just looking in our notebooks. Instead of writing our own essays, we will spend time and money buying one online. Students may initially think that less thinking is involved if we just cheat our way through our homework, when the time and energy it takes to do so could be more effectively applied to actually DOING the work.
     We as people are never satisfied with the product placed in front of us. We instinctively need to find a problem, and then find a solution. There was nothing wrong with the hunter-gatherer way of life. Their life was in fact very effective, what changed is the access to new technology. There is nothing wrong with the amount of homework students are assigned, what has changed it the access to new technology.




Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.  ~Thomas Edison



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