Ecology of Eden Chapter 5

 Chapter 5 of the Ecology of Eden textbook is about the concept that humans are modern day saprophages, essentially since we get most of our energy through fossil fuels which is decayed organic matter. The chapter goes on to explain the different ways in which we act as saprophages; from energy creation and consumption to the symbiotic relationship we have with machines. We take organic matter found deep within the earth, similar to the saprophage the mushroom, however we delve much deeper into the earth to that we find and use dense pockets of energy trapped in the ground. Now, mushrooms use the organic matter they find as energy to power their body. Humans use the fossil fuels that we find in the earth as energy for industry and to increase our the standard of living. However, fossil fuels do allow us to produce and farm on a grand scale in order to feed the growing population. Fossil fuels are used to power machines on farms that till the land, harvest the crops, and process the crops to be shipped across the globe. Furthermore, the increase demand for crops as a result of the population calls for farming methods to incorporate fertilizers and other soil chemicals to increase crop growth and size. As a result, humans ingest nearly 160lbs of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash fertilizer each year. In short, the chapter tries to explain that in our modern society, humans act more like saprophages than primates. As a whole, humans have stopped hunting and gathering to find calories and have relied on the systems put in place by modern society to obtain the necessary energy for survival.

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