Our Water Footprint
The book details tips for water conservation in our daily lives by revealing the water that is visible (in, say, a dripping tap) and the water that is embedded (the water it takes to make the tap itself). By understanding that a chicken requires about 468 gallons of water to process, while an egg contains about 23 gallons of virtual water, we can start to make smarter, systemic decisions about how to conserve our most precious resource.
Our water crisis is local and global. During a time when one in six people around the world does not have access to enough safe drinking water, and 45 of the 50 United States report "water stress" conditions, we have the opportunity to use less and do better. I interviewed Tom in honor of World Water Day—and the release of his book—to garner greater insights on what we need to do differently and why this issue requires our attention.