For various reasons, many farmers cannot rely entirely on rainfall and must turn to irrigation to water their crops. While drip irrigation might seem like the logical choice because of its efficiency, the reasons why farmers use one system over another are varied and sometimes complex. The type of system can impact crop yields as […]
The water footprint of meat is a higher number than many people might realize. While many Americans expect to eat a certain amount of meat, and they might think, “Well, I don’t eat that much,” they might be surprised by just how much meat (and dairy) they actually consume every day. This is an important […]
You might be surprised by how big the water footprint of food is. In the US, agriculture is responsible for 80 percent of all water consumed (water that is evaporated or otherwise removed from the watershed). The Big Water Footprint of Food and Agriculture California experiences frequent multi-year extreme droughts – like the one occurring […]
Beef has a large water footprint and the system in which cattle are produced can make a substantial difference in the size of the footprint. While pasture-raised beef can be more sustainable, many assume that its water footprint is always smaller than that of industrially produced beef. This is not necessarily the case, although it can […]
Food and water are connected. Have you ever looked at a plate of food and wondered, “How much water it takes to make a hamburger?” The largest portion of the average person’s water footprint comes from their diet. In order to lower water footprints, there’s no better place for a person to start than to […]
