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:
“The favor of a drop of water should be repaid as an overflowing spring.”
—Chinese proverb.
“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 reality is that zero defects in products plus zero pollution plus zero risk on the job is equivalent to maximum growth of government plus zero economic growth plus runaway inflation.”
—Dixie Lee Ray (b. 1924)