Just like a carbon footprint, every person, every business, and every product has a water footprint.
“The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business.” (Hoekstra, A.Y., Chapagain, A.K., Aldaya, M.M. and Mekonnen, M.M. (2011) – “The Water Footprint Assessment Manual: Setting the Global Standard”, Earthscan, London, UK.)
For instance, did you know that it takes approximately 1,857 gallons of water to get a steak from the ranch to your tabletop, 766 gallons of water to make your favorite t-shirt, and 37 gallons of water for one cup of coffee?
What is your water footprint? How much do you use on any given day? The answer to these questions is as close as your fingertips. Now you can find out your water footprint simply by downloading an app onto your iPhone, iPod, or iPad. This app calculates how much water is we use in our daily lives.
You’ll be surprised by how much water you use and how that can impact the environment. The water footprint app includes a calculator that allows you to keep track of the water you use, while the product and activity descriptions explain the numbers. Additionally, the app provides tips to cut down on consumption and how to reduce your water footprint. You can then use this useful information to make changes to your water use habits.
To calculate your water footprint and learn how you can reduce it, download the free app at www.waterprint.net. If you do not have an Apple product, you can view the app directly from the Web site.
To look at the other ways that you use water and to learn how you can save water around your home, take the Water – Use It Wisely home water challenge. Also check out our 100+ tips to reduce your water footprint every day. There are a number of ways to save water and they all start with you.
