[Greenbuilding] heretical observation

[Reuben Deumling]

There are a bunch of attempts to calculate what we might call *bicycling
mpg *for short.
Here's one
http://truecostblog.com/2010/05/27/fuel-efficiency-modes-of-transportation-ranked-by-mpg/

Where I'd differ with you, Corwyn, is that the differential between what we
eat anyway, and what we eat if we sit on a pedal powered machine is the
relevant quantity. Those extra calories or BTUs I think we are able to
convert into electricity at better rates than your 10:1 ratio suggests.

Besides, even though my electricity comes from wind turbines I've wanted to
power my fridge with a pedal generator for longer than I've been a member
of this greenbuilding list. BTUs are only one parameter. And we grow our
own veggies!

On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 12:40 PM, Corwyn <corwyn at midcoast.com> wrote:

> On 6/5/2012 12:58 PM, Gennaro wrote:
>
>> Technically that is a quadruple bam. Exercise, lower fridge bill, lower
>> heating bill from lower thermostat setting AND heating from your body.
>>
>
> This only works if you can find food which is cheaper per BTU than
> whatever you are heating with.  For Americans in aggregate, this isn't even
> remotely likely.  As I am sure is known to all here, it takes about 10 BTUs
> of fossil fuel to make 1 BTU of food in the American agro-business system.
>   Do the 'Bam' math for yourself.
>
>
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