In the US and Europe, more than half of water use goes to power generation. This is because most of that power is generated by thermoelectric power plants which use coal, natural gas and nuclear fuel to create steam that turns turbines. The process takes massive amounts of water to cool the steam, after which the water is […]
Listen to (or read) the newly released “Water Conservation in the Southwest,” a five-part radio series on water use in the face of scarcity in the arid Southwestern states. The series on water conservation is done in collaboration with KUER, KUNC, KJZZ and the Mountain West News Bureau. The importance of water as the foundation […]
The University of the Free State (UFS) is all about water footprints, as Cape Town continues struggling with severe drought. UFS recently conferred three degrees to academics involved in water footprints for the Water Research Commission (WRC). The university bestowed a master’s degree on Adetoso Adetoro and two PhD degrees on Dr Enoch Owusu-Sekyere and […]
Too many towns in West Virginia don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water, so Berkeley Springs seems like an odd place to hold an international water tasting competition. Nevertheless, the competition is going strong after nearly three decades, and is now billed as “the Academy Awards of Water.” Check out this first hand account from […]
Parents often don’t get enough information on the environmental impacts of baby formula. The impacts are high because baby formula comes primarily from animal products which have a high water footprint, whereas breast milk has a low (or no) water footprint. A recent New York Times report, revealed that the US government tried to block […]
Southold Town is recommending water conservation efforts, after a new study revealed unsustainable water use at a recent town board work session. Water Conservation Committee member Glynis Berry noted that “the town’s water supply is ‘exacerbated’ by both coastline development and uneven pumping patterns created by seasonal demand and irrigation.” Summer demand is highest, with […]
In a year-long investigation, Coca-Cola’s commitment to replenish the total amount of water used for the soda production was discovered to be false. Journalist, Christine MacDonald, reviewed Coke’s public claims that they would eventually reduce their water footprint to the point that they would get to “net zero,” yet it turned out to be spin. […]
Water wonks rejoice! The 2015 edition of Water Use in the United States has been released by US Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS updates their water use and withdrawal data on different water-use sectors, such as thermoelectric (power plants), agricultural irrigation, public supply (“city water”), industrial and so forth. The topline stats show that nationwide […]
A growing movement worldwide — called “One Water” — is managing water in a more holistic manner. Instead of separately managing drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, water for farming and water for the environment, this management approach seeks out solutions with multiple benefits. As a wide variety of water crises balloon in the United States and […]
