All life on Earth is possible because of one miraculous liquid: water. But less than 3% of the world’s water is freshwater, and less than 1% of that is available for use. And the well is drying up. The water supply is dwindling in communities across the United States as a result of the human-caused climate catastrophe. So for World Water Week (Aug. 23 to Sept. 1), let’s take inventory of our water footprint, starting with what’s on our plates.
We are often reminded to do our part to conserve water by taking shorter showers or not watering the lawn, especially since drought and wildfires are ravaging the world this summer. Yet the meat, dairy and egg industries significantly affect our water supply — more than our individual daily water usage. Raising animals for food uses nearly 55% of the freshwater resources in the United States. So why do government agencies and interest groups encourage us to bathe less but not ditch meat, dairy and eggs? Let’s expose the real villain behind the water crisis: animal agriculture.
Going vegan is the best thing we can do to mitigate the climate catastrophe and conserve water. Around the world, people consume an estimated 5.2 billion gallons of water daily. Compare that to cows raised for food, who require 45 billion gallons of water every day. It takes up to 2,400 gallons of water to produce just 1 pound of cow’s flesh, which equates to more water than 50 baths. So it’s easy to see how a vegan saves over 1,100 gallons of water every day. Eating vegan foods is something that anyone can do to have an immediate impact — and we shouldn’t waste any time, because we don’t have a moment to spare.
