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Overview
“We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” — Jacques Yves Cousteau
Water is life. Yet clean, safe drinking water is a scarce resource under great strain for large populations across the world. Water is not an infinite resource just a faucet turn away, as it is treated by too many; that could not be further from the truth.
Even though it is considered a renewable resource, we are extracting and polluting water at such an alarmingly high rate that the water supply is not able to replenish or sustain itself.
According to the US Geological Survey, water covers 70% of our planet, but only 0.02% of that is freshwater on the surface which is able to nourish life on earth. Strain on freshwater supply is intensified by the uncertainties of climate change and pollution. Extreme weather patterns including droughts and floods mean billions of people are at risk of water insecurity, without enough clean water to drink, farm and maintain hygiene. Today, over 785 million people lack access to clean water and 4 billion suffer from water scarcity. This is all happening while pollution continues to fill our streams, rivers and lakes.
The United States Geological Survey estimates that people in the US withdraw 322 billion gallons of water a day, including both fresh and saline water. This number is an average “water footprint” in the USA, similar to the concept of a carbon footprint. What’s tricky is that most water usage is virtual, hidden or used indirectly in goods and services people then consume or utilize, like food and electricity — and thus, don’t see as wasting large quantities of water.
Consider a factory-farmed burger and the water footprint of eating it. You may only drink one 8-ounce glass of water with the burger, but your water footprint for that meal is close to 660 gallons of water, overwhelmingly used to raise and feed the cow. A cheeseburger adds an additional 382 gallons of water per pound of cheese. If you are interested in more examples of water inputs required for the food you eat, check out this great read.
It is also important to consider how water is transported from source to consumer. While water is essential, single-use packaging is NOT, yet 1 million single-use plastic bottles are sold worldwide every minute. Even when plastic bottles do make their way to a recycling bin, only 9% of plastic is actually recycled, and the vast majority of plastic bottles end up in waterways, polluting oceans and harming ecosystems. The good news is that the indirect nature of water use means you can do more than simply take shorter showers to conserve this invaluable resource. Alternatives to single-use packaging, like reusable water bottles are a great way to save waste and money. Be sure to check if your drinking water is safe with EWG’s Tap Water database!
THINK
It is important to know if your drinking water is safe and clean, which is unfortunately not the case for too many. Across the United States, pollution from farms is one of the primary reasons water has turned hazardous. When was the last time you checked the quality of your drinking water?
ACTIVITY
Look at the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database to learn about the safety of tap water in your area, simply by typing in your zip code. If you live outside the United States, research to see if a similar resource is available in your country.
- What did you find?
- Were there any contaminants detected in your area?
- Were you surprised?
DELIVERABLES
Upload a PDF document with your responses.
Submission Guidelines
- If you do not see an upload button, you need to log in
- Submit all entries as PDFs; no Word or Pages documents
- Be sure to include all content for your submission in one document
- Do not include # or spaces in filenames
- You will see a confirmation in green that your submission uploaded correctly; if you do not see this confirmation, please try again
- Send any questions to classroom@turninggreen.org
Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #TGClassroom.
THINK
Every person has a right to clean water. As water use increases and supply dwindles, the pressure for sustainable management is on us. This means engaging in water-conscious consumer practices and conserving wherever and whenever possible. Our hidden (or indirect or “virtual”) water footprint makes up 96% of total water use, so discovering personal usage will make it easier to then reduce water footprints.
ACTIVITY
Do you have any idea how much water you use daily? Think about diet, bathing, hydration, dishwashing, all of it! What is your direct water consumption? And indirect consumption?
Write down an estimate of how much water you think you use per day. Now, it’s time to calculate. Use this Water Footprint Calculator to find out how much water you actually use directly and virtually each day.
- Compare your actual water footprint with your guess.
- What surprised you most about your water footprint?
- Which category of your water footprint was highest: indoor, outdoor or virtual?
DELIVERABLES
Upload a PDF with your responses.
Submission Guidelines
- If you do not see an upload button, you need to log in
- Submit all entries as PDFs; no Word or Pages documents
- Be sure to include all content for your submission in one document
- Do not include # or spaces in filenames
- You will see a confirmation in green that your submission uploaded correctly; if you do not see this confirmation, please try again
- Send any questions to classroom@turninggreen.org
Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #TGClassroom.
THINK
Virtual water use makes up the majority of our water footprint. This is the amount of water needed to make the goods we use. You may be surprised by just how much it adds up with everything from growing the food you crave to your favorite jeans that require a lot of water for production. Many products, goods, and services may have a heavier burden than you think.
ACTIVITY
Choose five items you use/consume/wear daily across different lifestyle categories, like food, energy, tech, clothing, transportation, and more. Research each item to find its estimated water footprint. Today’s infographic may be helpful in that process of discovery.
- How much water is required to produce each item?
- Explain why those items require the amount of water that they do.
Reflect on your research and answer the following questions:
- What surprised you about the water intensity of the items you use every day?
- What changes might you make in your own life and why, based on what you learned?
- Is there a more sustainable alternative to that item or does conserving water mean cutting it out altogether? Is that feasible?
DELIVERABLES
Upload a PDF with your responses.
Submission Guidelines
- If you do not see an upload button, you need to log in
- Submit all entries as PDFs; no Word or Pages documents
- Be sure to include all content for your submission in one document
- Do not include # or spaces in filenames
- You will see a confirmation in green that your submission uploaded correctly; if you do not see this confirmation, please try again
- Send any questions to classroom@turninggreen.org
Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #TGClassroom.