Abstract

In this demo, we are teaching how food and water are connected, through the framework of water footprints. Put simply, it takes a lot of water to grow and manufacture food, and understanding the water footprint of our diet is a great way to lessen our impact on our community and the planet. The activity shared in this demo helps participants understand the connections between their food and the water it takes to make it. Participants will learn about the amount of water required to make three common food items and why. The amounts are often eye opening, leading people to quickly evaluate the impacts of their own diets. Then, we will present a recently launched database of the water footprint of over 100 common food items—the Water Footprint of Food Guide.

Context

The activity is part of our lesson plan series, Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint, which focus on water footprints. The lessons are standards-based, appropriate and adaptable for grades 6 to 16 and are geared towards formal and non-formal educators alike. These lesson plans are part of the "On the Cutting Edge" peer reviewed collection.

Why It Works

Globally, we use a lot of water to sustain our lifestyles and economies, yet water scarcity and virtual water use is often an overlooked concern until there is a crisis. These lessons about water footprints, and the water footprint of food, in particular, are a real eye opener for teachers and students alike, whose typical water conservation messaging is limited to "turn off the tap," which implies direct water use. Virtual water use presents potentially more significant water use reduction opportunities. These lessons open the door to a broader perspective on resource use and community impacts.

Download a PDF copy of our presentation:

EER 2022 Teaching Demo Water Footprint of Food.pdf (Acrobat (PDF) 714kB Jul10 22)