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2 Let’s talk water….. Water is all around us - covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface – but it still needs to be valued and used wisely. Every living thing on the planet needs water. In addition, many everyday objects require water to make them – sometimes surprising amounts! (For instance, did you know that it takes over 1,300 gallons of water to produce 500 new sheets of paper?) In this presentation, you will learn that nearly everything on the planet depends on water – lots of it! From the food you eat, to the shirt you are wearing…even the paper in your poster!

It takes TWICE as much water to produce a plastic water bottle as the amount of water IN the bottle! 3 It takes over 1,300 gallons of water to produce 500 new sheets of paper! It takes over 100,000 gallons of water to produce just ONE new car! It takes over 75,000 gallons of water to produce 1 ton of new steel!

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It takes about 193 gallons of water to produce 1 lb. of bread! 5 It takes around 468 gallons of water to produce 1 lb. of chicken! Behind every pound of beef is an estimated 1,800 gallons of water! (That’s about 11 gallons per slice!)

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Cotton is an EXTREMELY thirsty crop! In fact, it takes over 700 gallons of water to grow and produce a single t-shirt! 7

In fact, the Aral Sea, one of the largest lakes in the world, has nearly been DRAINED DRY in order to produce cotton…. 8 Beginning in the 1960s, the rivers that fed the lake were diverted for Soviet irrigation projects, in an attempt to grow rice, melons, cereals, and especially cotton in former desert lands. The plan temporarily succeeded. By 1988 Uzbekistan was the world’s largest exporter of cotton. But there were HUGE impacts to the ecosystems and the people of the Aral Sea region.

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10 But, wait! There’s some good news!

11 For more information, learning activities, and contest information, please visit: Here ’ s one way you can help ! SHARE what you ’ ve learned ! Draw a poster showing your favorite water fact or tip … …or continue on to the next section to learn how to be “ Water Smart !”

Statistics include factors such as crop use, evaporation losses, processing, wastewater, etc… that are based on global averages. Production methods can vary widely. Footprint calculations include: 12 For more info, see resources such as: content/uploads/2012/03/D203-Sustainability-and- Waterfootprint Ruth-Mathews.pdf