It is common knowledge that cycling reduces dependancy on energy consuming products – most notably oil based fuels and petrol used in cars, trucks and other motorised transportation. However within our homes, daily consumable items and white goods use vast amounts of electricity and gas reserves – with little thought going to the cumulative impact that making breakfast, for instance, has on a global scale. Times each breakfast by the number of people in your household, in your street, in your neighbourhood.. (you get the idea…)…
When looking to analyse the energy consumption needed to produce a standard Western breakfast, each item in turn needs to be considered – and primary to most breakfasts is the humble slice of toast.
So how can bicycles be linked to our breakfasts to teach us a lesson in energy conservation?
How do you like your toast done?
If you are interested to see how much energy it takes to power a toaster so that a slice of bread can be toasted – then look no further. German Olympic track champion (and yes, those thighs ARE REAL) Robert Förstemann teamed up with Stockholm University to produce this video as an reminder and expose to demonstrate just how much energy is required to produce a slice of toast. It is definitely an effective way to stimulate discussion about breakfast, the merits of cycling and reducing carbon footprints.
The video below is under 3 mins and well worth a watch right to the end to hear what Robert says under his breath as a final private comment about the whole task – pretty much sums it up nicely!