The impact of household food consumption on resource and energy management

How can private households contribute to a more resource-efficient food pro duction system? The importance of meat consumption has previously been high lighted. Various life-cycle analysis studies suggest which products are fav ourable from an ecological point of view. This study uses a material flux a nalysis to assess material and energy fluxes of the entire system of food p roduction and consumption. It compares different steps in production and co nsumption as well as different product categories. The results reveal that agricultural production and private households account for most of the syst em's energy requirements. The outcomes of two possible initiatives taken by private households are analysed by scenario calculation. It compares optim ization of technical devices in private households with purchase decisions that favour organically produced food products. The results reveal an aston ishing optimization potential of cooling devices in private households. How ever, it also shows the importance of specific parameters, such as the ener gy-mix coefficient.