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Calculating your water footprint

April 30, 2015

Image: Wasserhahn by Matthew Bowden

Categories:

  • Climate
  • Environment
  • Technology

The California drought is dominating the news. Washington and Oregon have also declared drought emergencies. The list goes on. And the water situation is not likely to get better: “water managers from 40 US states anticipate at least some form of water shortage within the next 10 years.”

It’s a sobering notion, and a reminder that our personal choices are important. Using water productively and reducing waste is vital.

The water and energy team at Grace Communications has built a Water Footprint Calculator that will help you assess your water use. It’s easy to use. Grace also accounts for something it calls virtual water: “the water it takes to produce the food we eat, the energy we use and the products we buy.”  This is important, because virtual water is, by far, the largest part of our water footprint.

Some statistics from Grace:

 

A single avocado uses 60 gallons of water to grow

One cell phone takes 240 gallons to manufacture

It takes 713 gallons to produce one cotton t-shirt

A hamburger uses 660 gallons of water to make

One gallon of gasoline takes three-to-six gallons of water to produce

 

Thought provoking.

 

Related Links:

Q&A: UC’s Doug Parker on the California Drought

Protests over “unconscionable” bottled water business in California

Drought watch: a rogue’s gallery of water guzzlers

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Published

April 30, 2015 at 10:24 am

by Rose Hayden-Smith

Photo of Rose Hayden-Smith

About the Author

Rose Hayden-Smith, PhD, is a UC academic and author, writing as the UC Food Observer. Hayden-Smith has worked as a 4-H youth, family and community development and Master Gardener advisor. She also led UC ANR’s sustainable food systems initiative. A trained U.S. historian, her research focuses on food policy, and the role of gardens in community food security.

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About

UC Food Observer is your daily selection of must-read news on food policy, nutrition, agriculture and more, curated by the University of California as part of its UC Global Food Initiative.

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