Increasing Our Water IQ

Treehugger has highlighted some useful ideas and issues surrounding world water use lately. For example, looking at each country's water footprint (defined as "water used plus the water inherent in products exported, then minus the water in exports" -- though I'm not sure I agree with that definition - shouldn't we count what we produce, as well as what we use?) reveals that the U.S. tops the list of water wielders at more than twice the world average. Each person in the U.S. uses an average of 2.5 million liters of water/year.

If you've always wanted to know how much water it takes to produce certain kinds of products, such as the average car, your newest pair of jeans, or that daily latte, check out their post that reveals the numbers for 14 different products. By the way, it takes nearly 40,000 gallons for your car, about 1,800 gallons per pair of jeans, and that latte? 53 gallons.

Another post looks at the water required to produce different kinds of foods, from fruits to grains to animal products to drinks. The survey assessed average gallons of water used per pound of food produced. Fruits, veggies and grains tend to require the least amount of water, though I was shocked to learn that chocolate clocked in at 2,847 gallons of water per pound! I've been paying attention to whether my chocolate is fair trade, organic and vegan, but I hadn't thought about the water use required. As the survey points out, the highest water requirements are for animal products, from 573 gallons for a pound of eggs, to between 2,500 and 5,000 gallons for a pound of cow flesh.

If you're looking for less-than traditional ways to save more water, check our their post offering seven "simple, unexpected ways" to save water, from only ordering water in a restaurant if you're going to actually drink it, to reusing the water you wash your fruits & veggies with.

To learn more about water issues and water use, check out resources such as Water for the Ages and WaterFootprint.org.

There's no doubt that clean, accessible water is a most precious resource that is growing more scarce. Fortunately, there is plenty we can do to reduce our own water footprint and to help create new systems that respect and fulfill everyone's water needs.

~ Marsha