While You’re Consuming Your Food, Your Food is Consuming Something Else…
It is known that water is the key to life. It makes our oceans flow, our rivers run, and our bodies move. Water is needed for everything, and there is no exception when it comes to food.
According to data by the Water Calculator, agriculture accounts for up to 90% of the United States’ water consumption per year. Food production is a massive industry, and with such consumption comes large production
As sourced from the Water Calculator, the top five consumers of water in the food industry are various types of meats. Red meat (beef), comes in at nearly half of all water consumption with 674 gallons required per serving. Hamburgers (fully prepared) follow close behind, requiring 660 gallons of water per serving. The un-named silver of the chart represents Salad, only requiring a mere 21 gallons of water per serving.
So where does this massive need for water come from? The answer is in the production. Meat requires the largest amount of water because of the disinfecting and preparation process it goes through in factory production. Water makes the world go round, and food is no exception.
People might wonder why this all matters. In this fast paced world, people will eat what they eat and often not think twice about it, but maybe a second thought could go a long way. Water consumption brings the largest impact to your carbon footprint. A single steak has a massive environmental impact. With a climate crisis in full swing and droughts arising around the world, it might be time to pay attention to how what you’re eating impacts more than your stomach.
While you’re consuming your food, your food is consuming hundreds of gallons of water and more. With a world in need of some environmental assistance, it might be time to choose a salad more often than a steak.
