News Briefs

News briefs and articles about water footprints, water use and availability, as well as interviews with key people in the fields of water footprints and water use.

A Kansas Town Faces Tap-Water Pollution From Farming

May 1, 2018

A Kansas town called Pretty Prairie faces a drinking water crisis — and they know it. The bucolic town is surrounded by farm fields that grow corn and soy beans, yet because those crops rely on the heavy use of nitrogen-based fertilizers is causing tap water pollution. In this case, the pollutant in the town’s […]

UN Says Studying Water Scarcity Can Help Curb Migration

April 23, 2018

A recent report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization states that studying trends linked to water scarcity could help communities to adapt and release stress from migration. By sharing good water-saving practices and skills, and by using remittances for managing water resources, improvements can be made to reduce the negative impacts. Lack of access […]

Take This Quiz to Find Out Your Environmental Footprint

April 18, 2018

Even with all the sustainability efforts going on in the world, the planet still needs help. Whether or not you’re open to changing your ways, it’s eye-opening to see how we impact the Earth. What is your environmental footprint? The three quizzes in this article will show you your ecological footprint, your water consumption (Hey! That’s […]

The Water Footprint of Food

April 12, 2018

In 2008, the creator of the water footprint concept and professor at the University of Twente Water Center, Arjen Hoekstra, posited that the international trade of commodity crops constituted the international trade of water because of all the virtual water it takes to grow those crops. A decade later, his theory holds true. [Twente Water […]

Making Los Angeles Water Self-Sufficient: Not Easy or Cheap, But Worth It

April 2, 2018

The Los Angeles region may not be in severe drought, but they are “back to our water-wasting ways,” writes UCLA’s Marc Gold. A couple years ago, Californians were using 24 percent less water than in 2013, while in 2018 conservation is not really happening because it’s down to 1 percent. LA must upgrade its water […]

Jeanologia CEO Says Denim Can Be Water-Free by 2025

March 23, 2018

With the right technologies and industry-wide effort, the denim industry – big denim, as it were – could become water free by 2025. So says Enrique Silla, CEO of Jeanologia. The Spanish company uses air in place of water to treat garments in order to achieve the same aesthetics of traditional washing and finishing. As […]

How to Reduce Our Water Footprint to a Sustainable Level?

March 22, 2018

The creator of the water footprint concept, Arjen Hoekstra, lays out the steps countries need to take in order to reduce their water footprints.  First, governments must establish water footprint caps for all catchments. Second,  they must formulate benchmarks for all large-scale water users such as agriculture, textiles and energy. Third is to promote fairer water use […]

From Not Enough to Too Much, the World’s Water Crisis Explained

March 22, 2018

Cape Town’s “Day Zero” was recently pushed from April to July because residents are working hard to reduce their water footprints. But the conditions that led to Cape Town’s impending disaster also exist in other locations and the disaster could happen anywhere. Author Stephen Leahy takes us through all the conditions that create water insecurity. […]

Eat Less Water: How Much Water Does it Take to Make Your Favorite Foods?

March 14, 2018

Southern Californians know how important water conservation is. Taking shorter showers  and changing out your landscape is important, but you ever thought about how much water it takes to grow the food you eat? Author Florencia Ramirez’s new book “Eat Less Water” tells you how to reduce your virtual water by eating food that requires less […]