How Does Your Garden Grow? And Use Water?
By Don's Early Light, Donald J. Brix, Ph.D.
Have you ever thought about the amount of water required to produce and deliver the food we eat? It turns out that not all foods are created equal in regard to their water impact on the environment.
With 7 billion folks on the planet now, and growing fast, the following water crumbs might be worth thinking about a bit more as you fill your shopping cart:
- Lettuce 23 gallons
- Tomato 23 "
- Potato 24 "
- Wheat 25 "
- Carrot 33 "
- Apple 49 "
- Chicken 815 "
- Pork 1630 "
- Beef 5214 "
Trust me, I don't make up this stuff. These numbers were compiled by the University of California Agricultural Extension. Even if their numbers are off by a large percentage, the escalation that begins with "chicken" is still remarkable. It's a dramatic reminder that the true costs of our dietary choices extend far beyond what we shell out at the grocer's check-out aisle.
Stay tuned and good eatin', Don
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