Enery = Biomass

I was brought up to believe that long ago when our sun gave out about ¾ of the heat it does now, a carbon-rich atmosphere trapped energy on earth and 'fixed' some of it in energy-rich bonds linking carbon atoms. Can anyone remember those experiments a few years back where carbon-rich gases were mixed and an electric spark added to produce complex 'organic' molecules in a test tube?
The energy input linking neutral carbon atoms is an important basis for life. Complex structures can be formed and these can bond to both positive and negative ions holding these charges in defined arrangements that can then stimulate further specific reactions. When a structure tends to reproduce itself with reactions it can stimulate, this is a big step towards life. Self-replication may have developed spontaneously in an 'organic' soup with energy-rich food to work from.
Molecules which increased the efficiency of carbon deposition formed the basis of the plant kingdom. Using energy from sunlight, plants build sugar molecules from low energy water and carbon dioxide. Ever seen sugar burn? High energy sugars drive the reactions by which plants grow and reproduce, and less directly, the reactions by which plant eating then meat eating animals grow and live.
Not all 'fixed' carbon has been oxidised again in the course of life. Sediments of biological materials have accumulated and been trapped underground. Compression and other geochemical forces have then acted to produce high energy carbon-rich coal and oil deposits. Over millions of years, as our sun expanded, 'greenhouse' CO2 has been removed from our atmosphere through the formation of living creatures and he deposition of coal and oil.
Now we have reached a watershed. With our sun at it's present size, energy escapes as millions of tons of fossil carbon are pouring through our human society into our environment. Modern high energy farming relies heavily on tractors and harvesters to till and reap and sometimes on oil fuelled pumps to draw water from afar. Fossil energy is used to generate synthetic nitrate fertiliser and fields of lush green crops, kept pest free by applications of synthetic oil based pesticides. Petrochemicals and petrol fuels increase both the productivity and labour efficiency of agriculture. Surplus food then supports the continuing spread of our concrete jungles 'where the people are many and their hands are all empty'. As a child, Bob Dylan saw a lot.
Fossil energy supports both our human population growth and our manic 'consumer' lifestyles. Who said, 'Can I have a bag please?' The consumer with two items to carry across the pavement to a motor car.
The phenomenon generates it's own impetus. Look out over London and see how it is dominated by the Euston and Telecom towers, beaming out energy in a form which controls the people. Not science fiction; this is what commercial T.V. and radio means. Listen to the less necessary energy-burning products and activities being sold on commercial radio. People run around chasing money, eager to consume more and more of the world's resources, leaving less for the children. Who stops and thinks?