Why water footprint is important?

1. H2O is the next Oil…
The Water Footprint
Osnat LUSTIG www.linkedin.com/in/osnatlustig @manishma24

2. 70% of Earth is covered by water
≈ 97% salt water.
≈ 3% fresh water
Green Lake, Seattle 2015

3. Carbon footprint
Measure of human activities impact of on the environment. It is the total
amount of CO2 emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service.
Water footprint (WFP)
Water use in relation to consumption. The Water Footprint of an
individual, business, or nation is defined as the total amount of fresh
water used to produce the goods and services consumed by them.
(Arjen Hoekstra 2002)
Virtual Water
Volume of water needed to produce a commodity / service.
(Tony Allan early 1990’s)
Water Neutral
A standard relating to the efforts taken to minimize the environmental
impact of water use.

4. Business Water footprint
The total volume of fresh water used directly & indirectly to run and
support the business, including:
• Operational: direct water use by the business, its own operation,
and the output products.
• Supply chain: water used in the business supply-chain.
End-use Water footprint
Such as:
• The water used to prepare a cup of coffee
• Water pollution resulting from use of soaps & detergents
(There are about 116,000 man-made chemicals finding their way
into public water supply systems).

5. 1 bun
= 80 liters
Water footprint of this meal = liters ( gallons)*
¼ pounder beef
= 3100 liters
Large fries
= 795 liters
Ear of corn
= 225 liters1 cup coffee
= 140 liters
1 slice cheese
= 90 liters
(*Approximately)

6. 1 cotton T-shirt
= 2700 liters
1 sheet paper
= 10 liters
1 kg bio-plastic resin
= 2250 liters

7. ≈ Should we start considering a sum environmental footprint
instead of its individual components?
≈ Are developments in the field of sustainability water positive?
(e.g. Energy efficiency at the expense of water use)
≈ Water is a $375 billion global industry; 3rd largest after
electricity and oil. What might be the impact of privatization
of water sources by companies interested in monopolizing
and trading water as a commodity?
≈ What might be the impact of bio-fuel and bio-polymer on
virtual water trade? Will bio-fuel induce conflict in the future?
≈ How might consumer habits be changing in times of scarcity
- of economical means and of natural resources?
≈ What kind of new products might emerge in this new reality?
Questions to ponder:

8. Links:
www.waterfootprint.org
www.drinktap.org
www.foodandwaterwatch.org
www.worldwatercouncil.org
knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu
www.flowthefilm.com
Epi.yale.edu
www.snetglobalwaterindexes.com/market.html

9. Osnat LUSTIG www.linkedin.com/in/osnatlustig @manishma24