Energy use 

Every farm or horticultural business uses energy and creates waste, but most could use less. In 2004, UK agriculture used 2.1 million tonnes of oil equivalents - and produced just over 7% of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions. Organic farming is generally a more energy efficient system of food production, mainly because it does not use inorganic nitrogen fertiliser, which is produced from petro-chemicals. Overall, UK organic farming is about 26% more energy efficient per tonne.

Being more efficient in your resource consumption means minimising resources used and the amount of wastes produced in order to increase efficiency. With 30% of an individual's carbon foot-print made up of their food choices, food is the single most important, everyday way for people to reduce their own environmental impact. Choosing the most climate-friendly food choices means supporting sustainable agriculture and buying organic food.

Key facts

• Intensive agriculture needs ten calories of energy to produce one calorie of food
• Globally the production and use of artificial fertilisers are the largest single source of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 310 times more damaging than carbon dioxide
• To make one tonne of artificial fertiliser takes 108 tonnes of water, emits 7 tonnes of carbon dioxide, and uses one tonne of oil
• Globally, agriculture is responsible for between 17 – 32% of the world's total greenhouse gases
• Organic farming typically uses 26% less energy to produce the same amount of food as non-organic farming.