We don’t think enough about water. We might try to take a shorter shower or flush the toilet less, but for most people in water rich countries, that is about the extent of their water consumption awareness. Water is an increasingly hot topic as global fresh water shortages are expected to increase with climate change and as the growing population consumes a diminishing resource.
The Water Footprint Network recently launched a campaign to get people to think about their water footprint. Similar to a carbon footprint, the water footprint is an indicator of how much water is consumed to make food or a product. We caught up with Professor Arjen Y. Hoekstra from the University of Twente in the Netherlands and Scientific Director of the Water Footprint Network, to ask a few questions about water consumption.
Please tell us a bit about the Water Footprint Network (WFN)?
The Water Footprint Network was launched in December 2008 by a number of major global players from business, civil society, multilateral organizations and academia. The Water Footprint Network and its partners strive to develop and apply the Water Footprint to support the transition to sustainable and equitable water use and management globally.
What is the purpose of the WFN?
We aim to come to broadly share global standards on water footprint accounting. This makes the efforts of businesses and communities that strive for a reduction of their water footprint more transparent.
What is a 'water footprint' exactly?
The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business, is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual, community or produced by the business.
Why do people need to start thinking about their water footprints?
People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food, paper, cotton clothes, etc. The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use, taking a supply-chain perspective on products.
We know that there are so many spots in the world where serious water depletion or pollution takes place. The water footprint shows the link that exists between our daily consumption of goods and the water problems that exist elsewhere, in the regions where our goods are produced.
85% of the water used in the world goes to make agriculture-based products, such as food, beverages, and natural fibers.
Is this just about showering less or not watering the lawn?
The water footprint of an individual consumer can be reduced by minimizing water use at home, but since most of the water footprint of a consumer is linked to food it is more effective to review the water footprint of one's consumption pattern.
Why is the water footprint of the production of foods/goods also important?
85% of the water used in the world goes to make agriculture-based products, such as food, beverages, and natural fibers.
What were you most surprised to learn about the water footprints?
The issue is not only that some goods (e.g. beef) require more water than another comparable sort of goods (e.g. chicken). There is also a large variation within one specific product. One kilogram of beef is not the same as the other kilogram of beef when it comes to its water footprint because the production circumstances strongly differ from place to place. In the case of beef, the feed composition is a very important consideration.
Did you change any of your water habits after learning about water footprints?
It is difficult to do that because in the shop we often cannot see where a product comes from, what is the water use and what are the negative impacts of that water use. If we could have that information, in the form of a label on a product or as a general certificate to the various goods available in a shop, we could make more conscious choices. Businesses have to become more transparent about their products to enable consumers to make more conscious choices. And in the end, governments should stimulate or even enforce businesses to work on transparency and to strive to achieve minimal water footprints.
Why is the concept of water shortages only now being discussed in water-rich countries?
The water footprint shows how consumption of a water-intensive product in one place impacts on the water system in another place, where the product is produced. For 'sustainable consumption' it is not sufficient to say that in our own region the natural resources are properly managed. When the products are imported from elsewhere one will have to look also at what happens in the exporting countries. Consumers in water-abundant regions still consume water-intensive products produced in water-scarce nations without paying for the true cost of the water.
How are organizations like Coca-Cola and Nestle involved with the project? (Does their involvement compromise the credibility of the project?)
Coca-Cola and Nestle are running pilot projects on water footprint accounting. The main aim in this stage is to build experience in how this can be done in practice. Next stage is of course to make it part of corporate social responsibility and to act upon the information acquired.
How can people get more information about their water footprint?
There is a lot of valuable information available on our website. Apart from many publications that can be downloaded, you can visit the product gallery, which shows the water footprint of various daily consumer goods, and you can calculate your own water footprint.
The Water Footprint Network: www.waterfootprint.org
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