Daily Greenz #161

As temperatures rise, so does our national water consumption. We guzzle more gallons to stay hydrated, keep our lawns and gardens green, and fill up our swimming pools. As we mentioned not too long ago, a third of all water Americans consume is devoted to outdoor uses, and that amount increases during months in which we’re outside more. Switching to low flow shower heads, low flow garden hose nozzles, and energy-efficient washing machines and laundry detergent can all help significantly lower your family’s water usage.

But we’re also consuming water in ways that aren’t as obvious. The production of 1 kilogram of beef, for example, requires 16,000 liters of water. And 140 liters go into making just 1 cup of coffee. Our water footprints aren’t just the amount of water we use daily.

Rather, they’re the amount of water that goes into goods and services we consume. Luckily, WaterFootprint.org has a water footprint calculator - you can calculate your own water footprint to find out where you’ve got room for improvement.

Sounds like something Celine Dion should look into, considering her direct water consumption alone added up to 6.5 gallons last year(100 times more than an average resident of Florida, where her home is).

Look for more detailed info next week in Greenzer’s Lifestyle section - we’ll be sharing our Water Conservation Guide and a Green Face-off between low-flow and conventional shower heads!

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