6 ms·

I think you underestimate the fossile fuel expenditure from agriculture, transportation, wastage, etc. But it is true that if I walk into a forest and eat a wi

I think you underestimate the fossile fuel expenditure from agriculture, transportation, wastage, etc. But it is true that if I walk into a forest and eat a wild grown apple, that CO2 is then from and in the normal carbon cycle and not any added fossile carbon. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935130/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935130/ [2] https://foodprint.org/issues/agriculture-energy-consumption/ https://foodprint.org/issues/agriculture-energy-consumption/ Perhaps it would be better if I clarified my statement as GHG-(CO2 equivalent)?

amelius 7y ago
Wasn't the CO2 in fossile fuel also ultimately captured from the atmosphere by plants?
- netjiro 7y ago
  ? Yes, but fossile carbon is out of the carbon cycle, stored underground until we dig it up? This is a fairly fundamental pillar in the discussion around environmental impact of GHG emissions?
- probablypower 7y ago
  Yes, fossil fuels are originally from organic life, which resulted directly or indirectly from photosynthesis. Plants do their best to suck up all the CO2 in the atmosphere. Yet CO2 is being added to the atmosphere faster than photosynthesis can capture it. This is why CO2 levels are rising. Human activity contributes a lot to the addition of CO2 (and equivalent greenhouse gases) and plants can't keep up with us.
- dTal 7y ago
  Yes, captured and stored at a time when there was many times as much CO2 in the atmosphere. Release it, and you return the atmosphere to its former condition.
mytailorisrich 7y ago
> I think you underestimate the fossile fuel expenditure from agriculture, transportation, wastage, etc. No, I'm saying that this is irrelevant when comparing means of personal transportation... The fact remain that the biological food chain is carbon neutral. As I already said, and as you also mentionend, it is the industrial production chain that is not.

amelius 7y ago

Wasn't the CO2 in fossile fuel also ultimately captured from the atmosphere by plants?

netjiro 7y ago
? Yes, but fossile carbon is out of the carbon cycle, stored underground until we dig it up? This is a fairly fundamental pillar in the discussion around environmental impact of GHG emissions?
probablypower 7y ago
Yes, fossil fuels are originally from organic life, which resulted directly or indirectly from photosynthesis. Plants do their best to suck up all the CO2 in the atmosphere. Yet CO2 is being added to the atmosphere faster than photosynthesis can capture it. This is why CO2 levels are rising. Human activity contributes a lot to the addition of CO2 (and equivalent greenhouse gases) and plants can't keep up with us.
dTal 7y ago
Yes, captured and stored at a time when there was many times as much CO2 in the atmosphere. Release it, and you return the atmosphere to its former condition.

mytailorisrich 7y ago

> I think you underestimate the fossile fuel expenditure from agriculture, transportation, wastage, etc. No, I'm saying that this is irrelevant when comparing means of personal transportation... The fact remain that the biological food chain is carbon neutral. As I already said, and as you also mentionend, it is the industrial production chain that is not.