Tag Archive for 'water footprint'

Chile To Begin Measuring Its Water Footprints

Published on 10/25/2010 in agriculture, groundwater, policy, products and solutions and outreach. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Photo retrieved from: www.alternet.org

“The water footprint is the total volume of freshwater used in the production of goods and services. It can be calculated for a specific product, an individual company or an entire country. This footprint, say experts, is an indicator of both potential and limits.

“Perhaps the water footprint will not follow the same critical path as the carbon footprint, but it does call companies’ attention to rethinking their water resource management,” said Rodrigo Acevedo, head of agro-industry projects at the Chile Foundation, one of the entities measuring the footprint in this South American country.

It is a matter of “changing the paradigm,” Acevedo told Tierramérica. It will obligate companies to “go beyond the legal spheres,” like water use rights, and consider the effects of their consumption on the sustainability of local watersheds and of their own businesses.

Right now, the leading entity for defining the standards is the Water Footprint Network, a non-profit foundation based in the Netherlands. It has calculated the water footprint of such things as a cup of coffee (140 litres) and a kilo of rice (3,000 litres).”

Read more: AlterNet

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UK relies on ‘virtual’ water from drought-prone countries, says report

Published on 04/24/2010 in drought. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Cut flowers from Kenya

“We must recognise how the UK’s water footprint is impacting on global water scarcity. We should ask whether it is right to import green beans – or even roses – from water-stressed countries like Kenya,” said professor Peter Guthrie, chair of the group of engineers who compiled the report. “The burgeoning demand for water from developed countries is putting severe pressure on areas that are already short of water. Our water footprint is critical”, he said.

“The report backs analysis by the UK chief scientist, John Beddington, the World Bank and others who say that water shortages are worsening, especially in developing countries. More than 700 million people in 43 countries are now regularly affected by water scarcity and this is expected to grow as a result of climate change, population growth, the switch to meat-based diets in countries such as China, rapid urbanisation in Asia and the pollution of rivers and lakes in many developing countries.”

read more: The Guardian

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New Report for United Nations Assesses Business Water Accounting Methods

Published on 04/09/2010 in policy, solutions and outreach and world water supply. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

corporate_water_accounting_cover

“Concerns about growing water scarcity, lack of access to water to meet basic human needs, degraded ecosystem function, and the implications of climate change have brought water to the forefront as a strategic concern for companies around the world. Corporate water accounting allows consumers, civil society groups, and the investment community to compare different companies’ social and environmental impacts in order to inform their actions and decision making.”

read more: Pacific Institute

chrismorrow

Water Footprint Labels to Become as Important as Energy Star

Published on 03/03/2010 in policy and solutions and outreach. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

“A water footprint label is soon to be as prominent on product packaging as an Energy Star label, and with an equal amount of clout among consumers.”

“Because of the lack of accepted standards, we’re still a ways off from having a water footprint label on products; however we’re sure to see them in the near future because unlike electricity where we can figure out renewable resources to generate more, as Orr states, “We cant screw this up. There is no Plan B with water. Lets be clear about that.”

read more: AlterNet

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