Water Footprint of Products
The water footprint of a product is the total volume of freshwater used to produce the product, summed over the various steps of the production chain. The water footprint of a product refers not only to the total volume of water used; it also refers to where and when the water is used (Source: WFN Glossary). The Water Footprint Network maintains a global database on the water footprint of products: WaterStat
An individual’s daily diet of fruits, vegetables and grains requires more than 1,500 litres (396.3 US gal) of water, as compared to 3,400 litres (898.2 US gal) needed for a daily diet rich in animal protein. Research by the Cranfield University calculated the amount of water required to produce various common foods in the United Kingdom:
| Product | Amount in Litres | Amount in Gallons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup of tea | 32.4 l | 8.6 US gal |
| 1 imperial pint of beer | 160 l | 42.3 US gal |
| 1 glass of wine | 120 l | 31.7 US gal |
| 1 glass of milk | 200 l | 52.8 US gal |
| 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of beef | 15,000 l | 3,962.6 US gal |
| 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of poultry | 6,000 l | 1,585.0 US gal |
| 250 grams (8.8 oz) packet of M&M's | 1153 l | 304.6 US gal |
| 575 grams (20.3 oz) jar of Dolmio pasta sauce | 202 l | 53.4 US gal |
For more product water footprints: see the Product Gallery of the Water Footprint Network
Read more about this topic: Water Use
Famous quotes containing the words water, footprint and/or products:
“Camels are snobbish
and sheep, unintelligent; water buffaloes, neurasthenic—
even murderous.
Reindeer seem over-serious.”
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972)
“There is on the earth no institution which Friendship has established; it is not taught by any religion; no scripture contains its maxims. It has no temple, nor even a solitary column. There goes a rumor that the earth is inhabited, but the shipwrecked mariner has not seen a footprint on the shore. The hunter has found only fragments of pottery and the monuments of inhabitants.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Isn’t it odd that networks accept billions of dollars from advertisers to teach people to use products and then proclaim that children aren’t learning about violence from their steady diet of it on television!”
—Toni Liebman (20th century)