Many of us are concerned about the effects of climate change and increased risks of water scarcity due to droughts and overconsumption. But what can we do on an individual basis to reduce our carbon footprint? The folks at GRACE – whose focus is “to increase public awareness of the critical environmental and public health issues created by our current food, water and energy systems” – created an interactive Water Footprint Calculator. The calculator asks many questions you would expect about about household water use, but you may be surprised by some of the results especially that relate to your driving habits and even the amount of pet food that you buy. Truly water is our most precious resource. It’s a big part of just about every human activity: the food we grow and eat, the products we manufacture and distribute and our travel.
Having a better sense how and where we are using water (directly and indirectly) will help us identify concrete ways to reduce our overall water footprint.
Learn more: Water Footprint Calculator Methodology