‘Virtual water’ wins prize

No, this isn’t a joke for the gullible. The scientist who figured out how much water is used in any production process, such as the ultimate water cost of a cup of morning java, has been awarded the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize . Here’s what John Anthony Allan’s discovery is all about, according to the Stockholm Water Institute:

“Behind that morning cup of coffee, there are 140 liters of water that was consumed to grow, produce, package and ship the beans.”

That is about as much water as a person in England uses on average for all daily drinking and household needs.

“For a single hamburger, an estimated 2,400 liters of water are needed. In the USA, the average person consumes nearly 7,000 liters of virtual water every day.” It said that was more than three times the average consumption of a Chinese person.

In other words, Allan’s work is a vital tool in analyzing global water use and management issues. As “developing nations” seek to become “developed,” water use is probably second only to oil use as a factor in this. That said, in many parts of the world, high-quality water supplies are about as scarce as oil, too.