FISH 101: Water & Society
The following is my Water Footprint Assignment.
Personal Water Footprint in Relation to Global Resource Limits
“Water Footprints” allow for a more visual representation of water resource limits via consumption and production levels. They can be presented from an individual standpoint, regional, national and even global. For example, on average, the world uses over nine thousand billion cubic meters of water annually. Whereas the United States consumes around one thousand billion cubic meters annually[1]. Using the online calculator from the Water Footprint Network, I discovered I consume 876 cubic meters annually alone. Meaning, the United States is responsible for about 11% of the world’s water consumption, and I contribute to less than 0.000000097% of the world’s water consumption. Now, my personal water consumption may appear miniscule, however, when the average American family (of four) uses over four hundred gallons of water a day, the total adds up[2]. If you were to just use the average amount an American family uses domestically multiplied by the number of people in the world (over seven billion), almost three trillion gallons of water would be used daily for just domestic uses. However, we know this is not the case as many regions use significantly less than the American domestic gallon use due to water deprivation and scarcity. Although, our global industrial and agricultural use of water tends to makes up for the amount not used in other locations.
The average American consumes 45% of their water from the meat and sugars they consume throughout the day[3]. Personally, food accounted for 62% of the water I consumed on a daily basis. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the form in which I consume foods can be. Throughout the day, I ingest at least two servings of meat as well as two sodas, and perhaps a tea in substitute. Through the Water Footprint Network’s databases, I gained the knowledge that fattier meats contain more water than less fatty meats, which can easily be remedied within my daily diet by choosing leaner meats. Also, I can reduce my water footprint by choosing to drink water or sodas with natural sugars over coffee and teas. The average coffee drink requires over a thousand drops of water per one drop of coffee. As well as the average cup of tea needs over thirty-five liters of water for production. By choosing to drink “natural” sodas with less or no sugar, as well as made in the United States, can help limit the amount of water I consume daily. For example, most of the water footprint of the average soft drink stems from its production and transportation processes. Only 1% of the water used is accounted for in the actual consumption of the product.[4] And sugar is the primary reason for the high water footprint as it requires a lot of water for agricultural production, as well as a lot of water is used to refine the sugar industrially. Finally, water is used in the transportation of the sugars for mass production and distribution. National geographic reported 81% of the water used to produce coffees, soda, and teas in the United States does not even come from native basins of the United States. Instead it comes from the areas of Central America, South America, Asia and Africa[5], causing water scarcity in other countries for our personal use and luxury. Therefore, the production of soda can actually account for the use and production of grey, blue and green water as industrial production leads to water vapor and pollution (grey water), and the agricultural process uses blue water (ground and surface waters) as well as green water (rainwater stored in soil).
Finally, I can limit the amount of water I use domestically (about 13% of my total water footprint), by restricting the use of water during bathing and cleaning, as well as use the dishwasher more often instead of hand washing dishes. In the future, I plan to invest in eco-friendly faucets, toilets, and washing machines for my household in an effort to reduce the amount of domestic water used daily.
Works Cited
Fischetti, Mark. "How Much Water Do Nations Consume?" Scientific American. The Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2012. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/graphic-science-how-much-water-nations-consume/>.
The Nature Conservancy, and The Water Footprint Project. "Global Water Footprint." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/global-water-footprint/>.
Water Footprint Network. "Waterfootprint.org: Water Footprint and Virtual Water." Waterfootprint.org. Water Footprint Network, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. <http://www.waterfootprint.org/>.
WaterSense. "Indoor Water Use in the United States." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 9 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. <http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/indoor.html>.
Marisa Elena Patrick
“Water Footprints” allow for a more visual representation of water resource limits via consumption and production levels. They can be presented from an individual standpoint, regional, national and even global. For example, on average, the world uses over nine thousand billion cubic meters of water annually. Whereas the United States consumes around one thousand billion cubic meters annually[1]. Using the online calculator from the Water Footprint Network, I discovered I consume 876 cubic meters annually alone. Meaning, the United States is responsible for about 11% of the world’s water consumption, and I contribute to less than 0.000000097% of the world’s water consumption. Now, my personal water consumption may appear miniscule, however, when the average American family (of four) uses over four hundred gallons of water a day, the total adds up[2]. If you were to just use the average amount an American family uses domestically multiplied by the number of people in the world (over seven billion), almost three trillion gallons of water would be used daily for just domestic uses. However, we know this is not the case as many regions use significantly less than the American domestic gallon use due to water deprivation and scarcity. Although, our global industrial and agricultural use of water tends to makes up for the amount not used in other locations.
The average American consumes 45% of their water from the meat and sugars they consume throughout the day[3]. Personally, food accounted for 62% of the water I consumed on a daily basis. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the form in which I consume foods can be. Throughout the day, I ingest at least two servings of meat as well as two sodas, and perhaps a tea in substitute. Through the Water Footprint Network’s databases, I gained the knowledge that fattier meats contain more water than less fatty meats, which can easily be remedied within my daily diet by choosing leaner meats. Also, I can reduce my water footprint by choosing to drink water or sodas with natural sugars over coffee and teas. The average coffee drink requires over a thousand drops of water per one drop of coffee. As well as the average cup of tea needs over thirty-five liters of water for production. By choosing to drink “natural” sodas with less or no sugar, as well as made in the United States, can help limit the amount of water I consume daily. For example, most of the water footprint of the average soft drink stems from its production and transportation processes. Only 1% of the water used is accounted for in the actual consumption of the product.[4] And sugar is the primary reason for the high water footprint as it requires a lot of water for agricultural production, as well as a lot of water is used to refine the sugar industrially. Finally, water is used in the transportation of the sugars for mass production and distribution. National geographic reported 81% of the water used to produce coffees, soda, and teas in the United States does not even come from native basins of the United States. Instead it comes from the areas of Central America, South America, Asia and Africa[5], causing water scarcity in other countries for our personal use and luxury. Therefore, the production of soda can actually account for the use and production of grey, blue and green water as industrial production leads to water vapor and pollution (grey water), and the agricultural process uses blue water (ground and surface waters) as well as green water (rainwater stored in soil).
Finally, I can limit the amount of water I use domestically (about 13% of my total water footprint), by restricting the use of water during bathing and cleaning, as well as use the dishwasher more often instead of hand washing dishes. In the future, I plan to invest in eco-friendly faucets, toilets, and washing machines for my household in an effort to reduce the amount of domestic water used daily.
Works Cited
Fischetti, Mark. "How Much Water Do Nations Consume?" Scientific American. The Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2012. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/graphic-science-how-much-water-nations-consume/>.
The Nature Conservancy, and The Water Footprint Project. "Global Water Footprint." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/global-water-footprint/>.
Water Footprint Network. "Waterfootprint.org: Water Footprint and Virtual Water." Waterfootprint.org. Water Footprint Network, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. <http://www.waterfootprint.org/>.
WaterSense. "Indoor Water Use in the United States." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 9 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014. <http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/indoor.html>.
Marisa Elena Patrick