How Not to Be a Water Pig

It starts with what we eat

It’s so easy to condemn Americans for our piggish ways. From self-promotion to self-entitlement, we are rightly seen as champions of convenience without consequence, even when the consequences are dire.

This blissful disregard assumes ludicrous proportions when it comes to how we use fresh water, which amounts to just 3 to 7 percent of the planet’s total water supply. There are many examples of our cavalier attitude about water, but for purposes of illustration, let’s start with something commonplace: the food on our breakfast tables.

In the morning meal pictured above, I wonder how many of you could guess the amount of fresh water required to produce its abundance. 50 gallons? 100 gallons? 500 gallons? And while you’re calculating your answer, try to identify the single item you think is most water-intensive.

In the meantime, here are some sobering details to ponder:

The global demand for fresh water could outstrip the available supply by 40 percent in less than a decade.

Up to 45 million Americans, many in rural areas, use water from private wells, which are not regulated by the Federal Safe Water Drinking Act. One study revealed that up to a quarter of these private wells contain unsafe levels of contaminants, including…