What's Your Water Footprint?

 

Hidden Water Usage Adds Up!

 

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

A lot has been written about our carbon footprint – the amount of greenhouse gas individuals or entities emit into the atmosphere. But not so much about something that could be even more important. Our water footprint.

 

In addition to the obvious water we use – to drink, cook, bathe, clean, and perform basic tasks each day – our water footprint includes the "hidden" water it takes to produce the goods and services we use, especially the food we eat.

While the average American uses about 80 gallons of water for daily activities, when it comes to hidden water for our consumption needs that easily adds another 2,000 gallons per day. 

For example, if you have a hamburger, it takes 462 gallons of water to produce the beef in your quarter pounder. For the water to feed and tend the cattle and get it to market. Add a slice of cheese and that's another 56 gallons of water. A tomato slice is just over a gallon and lettuce is half a gallon. The bun itself is 22 gallons. For a total of 541.5 gallons! 

But what if you chose a pork or chicken sandwich instead? It takes 180 gallons to produce the pork and 129 gallons for the chicken. So, swapping out the hamburger for a chicken sandwich could reduce your water footprint by 333 gallons. 

As you can see, choices make a difference. Are you a coffee or a tea drinker? The water needed to make the leaves in one cup of tea is 7 gallons. For the beans in one cup of coffee it's 66 gallons. 

 

We all know that fruit should be a part of our diets, but which ones? Pineapple uses 31 gallons/pound. Grapes over 100 gallons/pound and cherries soak up a thirsty 240 gallons/pound. 

 

As for veggies, cabbage needs 24 gallons of water/pound while corn needs 107 gallons/pound.

SurfWriter Girls learned that two popular indulgences – chocolate and wine – come with a big water footprint. It takes 450 gallons of water for one 3.5 oz. chocolate bar and 28 gallons of water for one glass of wine. 

Non-food items have water footprints, too. For a cell phone, the footprint is about 3,200 gallons. For a car it can be as much as 40,000 gallons. And when your favorite blue jeans need to be replaced, plan on a water footprint of 2,600 gallons. 

 

To find out more about what's adding to your water footprint, check online and compare your options. Swapping one item for another can make a big difference. And in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "When the well is dry, we know the worth of water." 

 

SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.