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:
“We have to learn how to come out of unclean situations cleaner than we were, and even how to wash ourselves with dirty water when we need to.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“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)
“The measure discriminates definitely against products which make up what has been universally considered a program of safe farming. The bill upholds as ideals of American farming the men who grow cotton, corn, rice, swine, tobacco, or wheat and nothing else. These are to be given special favors at the expense of the farmer who has toiled for years to build up a constructive farming enterprise to include a variety of crops and livestock.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)