Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2.1 Stages of development and energy consumption per capita
A million years ago, primitive man from Eastern Africa had not yet mastered
fire and relied only on the energy from food ingested (some 2,000 kcal/day). A
hundred thousand years ago, hunting man already consumed more food and burned
wood to cook and heat his hut. Later, primitive agricultural man from Mesopot-
amia (10,000
BCE
) used the energy of working animals for agricultural activities. In
the early Modern Ages (1,400
CE
), advanced agricultural man from Northeastern
Europe used coal for heating and the mechanical energy from waterfalls and wind.
During this period, transportation also became an important role in commerce. In
England, in 1875, industrial man developed the steam engine, and commerce and
transportation increased substantially. Later, in the 20th century, technological man
