It is surprising to know the number of raw materials that go into the everyday items that we use. For example, an average cup of coffee needs about 100 beans. If you drink a cup every day, you will need at least nine coffee trees to provide you with coffee for a whole year. We often forget how many resources we use each day to regular consumer foods and other items. Here is a list of five everyday food items and products that consume a lot of raw material in their production.
Sugar Cubes
Sugar production is done all over the world and is also one of the most used items in routine lives. Creation of sugar is a labor-intensive process as well. Sugar comes from sugarcane that is harvested by hand, then cut, mashed, and boiled to turn it into sugar that we take in our desserts and beverages. Nearly one pound of sugarcane is required to make 15-30 gram sugar cubes. One sugar cube is made of 3 ounces of raw sugarcane.
iPhone
An iPhone is made of various metals including titanium and iron. However, a lot of aluminum is used to create the outer case of the phone. A total of 24% of iPhone comprises of Aluminum. Then comes iron, which makes up around 14% of the device’s total mass. iPhone also contains rare earth elements like titanium, cobalt, and nickel.
Men’s T-shirt
Around 500 pounds of cotton is required to make 1000 medium-sized men’s shirt. A pair of blue jeans needs nearly 1.5 pounds of cotton for its production.
One Dozen Eggs
An average hen can lay four to six eggs in a week and a total of 200 eggs per year. This means that to get a dozen eggs per week, we will need two hens.
Gasoline
A single barrel of crude oil contains 42 gallons of oil. Each barrel is refined, and after the process is completed, 20 gallons of gasoline are produced from a single barrel of crude oil. The remaining oil is processed into diesel oil, jet fuel and other petroleum-based products like plastics.
Single Cup of Coffee
100 coffee beans are used to make a single cup of coffee. A coffee tree can produce 4,000 beans each year which mean that at least nine trees are required to produce coffee for a year for a single drinker. This estimate doesn’t include the inputs which are required for the coffee to grow, roast, and brew. It takes five years for a single coffee tree to reach its full productivity.
A Liter of Bottled Water
Companies use an average of 1.39 liters of fresh water to produce a liter of bottled water. The 0.39 liter is used in processing which includes treatment, sanitation, and bottling.
A Kilogram of Corn Syrup
Corn syrup is high in fructose and is used as a sweetener in nearly everything from Coke to salad dressing. To make it; a lot of corn is required. Corn is usually measured in 25-kilogram bushels. Each bushel produces around 15 kilogram or 33 pounds of corn syrup. The syrup is either sold as it is or is processed into high-fructose corn syrup to be used in other products.
A Liter of Orange Juice
Tropicana, signature juice brand of PepsiCo, uses almost 12 oranges to produce a liter of orange juice. While making juice at home, it takes about two to three oranges per cup.
A Loaf of Bread
Harvested wheat is gathered into 60-pound bushels. One bushel produces around 42 pounds of flour which makes 70 loaves of white bread.
