US Citizens urged to tighten belts and save the world

It seems the US energy crisis could be averted if US residents just cut their calorie intake. That alone could reduce the US fuel bill by 19%!

David Pimentel of Cornell University and colleagues have drawn on an extensive body of existing studies to highlight the wastage in the US food production chain. They have estimated how much energy could be saved by making a few relatively simple changes to the way corn is produced.

Their conclusion? Energy demands could easily be halved.

The average American consumes about 3747 kcal per day compared to the 2000 to 2500 kcal per day recommended by the US Food and Drug Administration, and that doesn't include any junk food consumed.

Producing those daily calories uses the equivalent to 2000 litres of oil per person each year. That accounts for about 19% of US total energy use.