Every Drop Counts!
By Danielle Droitsch – Water Matters
Between 1972 and 1996, Canada’s water usage increased by 90%, yet our population increased by only 33%. This disproportionate growth is not due to a jump in household consumption alone.
A growing population not only impacts the availability of water. A growing population also means a growing economy. Many Canadians are not aware that many of the foods we eat and the products we buy require water. For example, it takes approximately 1000 kg of water to grow 1 kg of potatoes, 300 litres of water to produce 1 kg of paper and 215,000 litres of water to produce one metric ton of steel.
The world’s population will increase by another 40 to 50% in the next 50 years. This growth, coupled with increased industrialization, urbanization and food demands, will place even greater pressure on our freshwater. With the world’s population continuing to grow, we need to promote water conservation on a global scale, but the best place to start is at home.
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