National Geographic released a special issue of their magazine this month entitled "water: our thirsty world" to showcase this growing problem. this issue details the ways that people use water, where country's water supplies come from, how we are using our water sources inefficiently, and how we are changing the ways to use and preserve this life-giving natural resource.
along with the special release of their magazine this month, they are also using the National Geographic website to inform the public about our earthly drought. one link in particular, really caught my attention. titled the hidden water we use, this graphic illustrates the magnitude of water consumption that is necessary to sustain living beings. honestly, it was pretty eye opening.
the graphic is a slide reel that shows us how much water certain animals, crops, gases, and even power sources need to be sustained.
a few of these products, in particular, caught my attention. rice, for instance, was a real shocker. rice production around the world, uses 1,350 trillion cubic feet of water annually; this accounts for 21% of our global crop production. and while this is only 21% of our global crop production and not water supply or freshwater supply, 1,350 trillion cubic feet of water is still pretty big number to wrap your head around. it is also an important percentage when considering that 70% of the world's freshwater is used to make crops.
two other products that made me think twice about where our water is going were the cow and the pig. 1 pound of beef requires nearly 1,800 gallons of water. that is not 1,800 gallons of water per cow, that is per pound. pigs too, surprised me. they need 576 pounds of water for every pound.
now this isn't saying that we should stop feeding our cows and pigs. don't get me wrong, i'm trying to eat me some steak and bacon for breakfast. it just gives people an idea of how much water is used.
water is obviously a precious commodity. there is no doubt that it keeps us alive, along with many other living organisms as well. we will always need to use this resource to grow crops and to sustain animals. what this graphic is trying to do and what it does successfully is show us why we need to take water conservation seriously. there will always be a need for water. just turn off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth, fix the leaking bathtub, and find ways to conserve water. National Geographic is merely showing the importance to not be wasteful of water and to understand how necessary it is for us and the world.
