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Re:Death in Space by eru on Friday September 03, 2010 @09:10AM (#1659413)
Fertilizers can last forever. Matter is not actually used up.

As long as we have enough energy, we can make fertilizers. Of course, petrochemicals are a nice raw material, but not necessary.

And we are not running out of energy, anytime soon. (Though we may run out of oil.)

Re:Death in Space by hnal943 on Friday September 03, 2010 @12:16PM (#1660063)
The conservation of matter is an amazing thing.

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe - Carl Sagan

Re:Death in Space by eru on Friday September 03, 2010 @12:54PM (#1660212)
Yes. Though to be more precise, in the process of using fertilizers, even the atoms are conserved. Though you will have to re-build the molecules.

On the practical side: Using coal as a raw material, you should be able to make fertilizers with only somewhat more energy than from oil.